


Crystal Dust

by Liolny



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bipolar Disorder, Crystals, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, Hate to Love, Isak's a moonchild, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Psychology Major Isak, Recreational Drug Use, Rich boy Even, Secrets, Slow Burn, but only sort of, smut in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-14 11:38:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11782368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liolny/pseuds/Liolny
Summary: “Right. Some advice for the future -” His eyes were glinting with something that could almost be described as playfulness but nonetheless screamed mystery. “Since I’m assuming you’re not some kind of MARVEL character” he paused “- looking through my head to see that clock,” he continued, pointing a thump over his shoulder, “is probably not gonna happen. I’m also sure your MacBook is more than capable of informing you about the time.”Isak was startled to say the least. He also just so happened to be the last person to be mocked by anybody, no less some arrogant prick, who thought he could just be smug in Isak’s face without consequences.Or: Even Bech Næsheim is a mystery and apparently there is no way in hell that he could be Isak's soulmate.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heey ! So, I hope you'll enjoy this.The parts explaining the soulmate system may be a bit long, but they're important to understand the plot in the long run. It's my first time writing fanfiction and I'm really enjoying it :).

Isak was aware that, scientifically speaking, the world as it had turned out over the last century, should not be possible to exist. Looking at it in terms of the old sciences, there should also be no point in adding an extra credit course called “crystals” to the curriculum. Most importantly, right in this moment, Isak knew that even in this universe, eye color could not simply transform in the way that he had just observed. What he could explain, was that light could make eyes seem brighter for obvious reasons. More specifically, an involuntary reflex reaction would be elicited by light, causing pupils to constrict. An explanation which they did go through in detail in one of Isak’s courses last year. Eyes would seem darker as a result of pupil dilation, caused by matters like intoxication, anxiety, objective darkness per se or even by love.

 

 

Isak tried to slow down his thoughts, quiet the rushing noise circulating in his ears. He slowly turned his head back to the source of his current distraction. This distraction was admittedly better described as absolute bewilderment. He fixed his eyes on a point to the right of the young man, who was now facing the front of the lecture hall. In his periphery, he noticed the headphones in the guy’s ears, his fingers tapping on the auditorium table while he maintained an otherwise unnerving still posture. The tapping echoed obnoxiously loud in Isak’s ears and started to push away the rushing noise. Every now and then, Isak would avert his eyes from his fixed point, embodied by the giant clock hanging near the entrance, back to the guy’s face.  
His heart was not doing him the favor of slowing down, which he probably had his prefrontal cortex to thank for. It could not yet end the fight or flight reaction, he was experiencing, since there was no rational explanation in store for what he had just seen. At this point, he was considering to simply tap on the guy’s shoulder and ask him for a pen. Then he realized that it was unrealistic, because, like 90 percent of the students in this hall, Isak also took his lecture notes on a laptop. When he was about to just ask for a phone charger, a low and matter-of-fact voice pulled him out of his daze.

 

 

“You know, I don’t know what the side of my face did to you, but I’m getting chills here man, is there something you want?”

 

 

Blue. Ocean blue eyes were eying him in something that resembled attentiveness and threatened curiosity.

 

 

Isak blinked. He reminded himself of his New Year’s resolution, which was to cut down his habit of taking offense too quickly and to avoid hastily judging people based on so much as a word that they uttered.

 

 

“No, I’m… late and -”, he paused, coming back to his senses “don’t flatter yourself, I was just checking the time.”  
His eyes darted from the guy’s face to the clock and back, zooming in on the now darkening blue eyes. “Looks like the timetabling office messed up on my schedule, so…” he offered, trying to save himself, upon realizing that what he just said made it seem like he was trying to defend himself. He’d like to think, he was the master of saving his way out of stupid situations.

 

 

 

The guy was now back to facing the front, a muscle in his jaw twitching, before he turned around to look at Isak again. His eyes were glinting with something that could almost be described as playfulness but nonetheless screamed mystery. “Right. Look, I hate to crush your dreams, but since I’m assuming you’re not some kind of MARVEL character” he paused, “looking through my head to see that clock… is probably not gonna happen.” he said, pointing a thump over his shoulder.

 

 

“I’m also sure your MacBook is more than capable of informing you about the time”.

 

 

And as if that was not enough, he put on a show by arrogantly raising his eyebrows at Isak, before drawing his ocean blues down to the phone in his lap, his fingers unruly and uselessly brushing over the screen.

 

 

Isak was startled to say the least. He also just so happened to be the last person to be mocked by anybody, no less some arrogant prick, who thought he could just be smug in his face without consequences.

 

 

 

He took a deep breath and tapped his finger on the guy’s shoulder. As blue eyes focused back on his face, eyebrows quizzically raising, Isak reached forward and pulled the headphones out of the guy’s ears. “Some advice for you -” Isak faked a smile, making sure it was obvious “if you’d actually pay attention to what is being said during lectures, instead of wasting your time on -” Isak lowered his eyes to look at the guy’s phone and huffed “- listening to fucking Gabrielle and annoying everybody with your nervous tick,” Isak pointed towards the guy’s fingers, which were now impossibly still on the table, instead of tapping “maybe, just maybe you’d be able to construct smarter statements than whatever you just said.” Isak felt a satisfying rush go through his body, before-

 

 

“What does Introduction to crystal growth methods have to do with making smart statements?”

 

 

Before Isak could lose his shit, the red-haired girl sitting in the row in front of them turned around so abruptly, that Isak felt a breeze on his face “Honestly, shut the hell up or settle your shit outside. My sorority is organizing this year’s foam party and if you don’t -” with one look at the source of Isak’s current annoyance, the girl suddenly stopped her rage speech and widened her eyes in surprise. “I’m…” she laughed nervously “Just kidding”, she said in a sweet sing song voice, throwing an apologetic glance at the guy next to him and an accusing one at Isak before turning back around.

 

 

Isak was left behind gaping, wondering what the hell just happened. He threw a glance at the guy beside him, who was now thoughtfully looking at his lap, almost seeming embarrassed about the girl’s reaction to him. Maybe Isak did not imagine what he had seen happening to the guy’s eyes after all and he was some sort of superhuman who had just controlled this girls mind. Then again, scientifically speaking that was not possible, but – A particularly loud tapping noise ripped Isak from his thoughts and he slowly turned his head to the right, regretting it immediately. The guy was now staring at him before his eyes briefly drifted to the side, eyelashes throwing shadows over his cheeks, almost as if he had gotten shy for a moment there.

When his eyes found Isak’s again, there was a seemingly sweet smile playing on his lips. He covered the side of his mouth, leaned towards Isak and whispered, “Well I certainly would not want this-” he brushed a finger over the sleeve of Isak’s washed out pink jeans jacket, “getting ruined by all the... foam. If you know what I mean.”  
This time he turned his mouth into a wicked grin, eying Isak’s body up and down before getting up from his seat and leaving Isak behind.

Isak did not know. In fact, in that very moment he was clueless as never and that said a lot, considering he usually prided himself in being the very best at knowing. He also just now realized that the auditorium was getting emptier by the second, and he only had about 5 words worth of notes on his laptop.  
The last lecture slide was still projected on the white board. It displayed a meme-like picture with the caption: New Semester Fresh start

 

 

Right.

 

 

\---

 

 

Sharing an apartment with your three best bros, straight out of high school was a teenage fantasy and nothing more. It just so happened, that for them, that teenage fantasy was fulfilled. They just so happened, to all be accepted at UiO last year. It also just so happened that Mahdi’s uncle, who rented out properties all around Oslo made them the offer of their dreams. The flat was not anywhere too close to the university, but it was spacious and affordable. A fifteen-minute tram ride and thirty minutes worth of cycling. Isak’s butt was thankful for the latter.

 

 

“Jonas! Bro!! I told you hanging around Anders would get us in with the party crowd, look at this” Magnus’ voice was doing that thing where it got all high-pitched and loud and his words would stumble out as if he was saying them on his last breath. He shoved his phone into Jonas’ face and threw a lopsided grin towards Mahdi and Isak, who sat on the other side of the table.

 

 

Isak just gave him, what he hoped was an unimpressed look and took another bite out of his cheese pizza.

 

Jonas focused his attention on the phone for about five seconds before dropping it back on the table. “Bro, maybe that’s hard for you to grasp, but you know I’m not about that fraternity bullshit.”

 

 

Wrong. Wrong decision. Jonas should have just gone with whatever Magnus just showed him and let it die down slowly. Because now, Magnus was going to be annoying about it.

 

 

As if on cue, the blond-haired boy’s mouth fell open and he started looking around like he was asking a fake crowd ‘did everybody just hear that?’. Isak fixed him with a stern look while Mahdi shook his head, silently asking what the hell was going on.

 

 

In a heartbeat, Magnus was standing behind them, dropping the phone on the table, so that all three of them had a clear view of it. Isak raised his head and looked at Jonas, who remained on his chair across the table. All he got were bushy furrowed brows and a huff.

 

 

“It’s not even a fraternity! You know how there were rumors about- ”

 

 

“What the fuck”, Isak’s voice, which apparently wasn’t under his own control anymore, interrupted Magnus.

 

 

Isak was looking at a Facebook event called “Housewarming glow party at EBN’s”. The cover picture displayed a pretentious looking house, or rather a mansion, surrounded by LED rubber ducks. The profile picture showed a group of guys, all dressed in white, all of them striking overdramatic poses. Right in the middle of the huddle was the guy from earlier. He was wearing his hair down, but there must have been some sort of product in it, because it was falling perfectly. He was neatly dressed in a white buttoned up cardigan with a grey undershirt beneath it, white chino shorts covering his thighs. Isak felt something flutter in his abdomen. He quickly wrote it off as irritation.

 

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me. That guy…Mags, do you know him?”

 

 

Magnus must have gotten the wrong idea, because next thing, his face converted into a smirk that Isak could only describe as pretending to be enlightened.

 

 

“You think he’s hot, don’t you.” It was not even a question, just a statement thrown into the room.

 

 

Isak didn’t even consider lying. Instead he rolled his eyes, probably in a dramatic way and shot an unconcerned look in Magnus direction.

 

 

“No shit Mags, congrats on figuring out that he’s attractive as fuck. Everybody with eyes is aware, I’m sure, but that’s not… I met him at my lecture today. He’s an asshole, so-” Isak shrugged, not really knowing where he was going with this, “I just want to put a name to the face and know what the fuck his deal is.”

 

 

“Even Bech Næsheim.” Something twisted in Isak’s stomach and he froze. Magnus was leaning back in his chair grinning at Isak as if he’d just done him a favor by saying those three words, before -

 

 

“Wait he’s a psychology student now!?”, Magnus’ eyes would surely fall out of his head any second at this point, if he kept doing that with his face.

 

 

Isak shrugged, “No. He was in one of my extra credit courses.”

 

Before he could urge Magnus for more information, Jonas caught his attention “Bro, he was an asshole to you? What happened?”, Jonas eyed him with narrowed eyes.

 

 

“He just… teased me. Like at first, he was accusing me of starring at him. Then he started mocking me and as if that wasn’t enough he comes at me with some bullshit pick up line as if he just owned the place.” Isak put his elbows against the back of his chair, stretching his chest out.

 

 

“And you weren’t starring at him, of course… with you know ‘Mags, everyone can see he’s fucking attractive’”, Magnus said in a mock voice, smirking. Isak flipped him off.

 

Mahdi snorted. “No offense, but... To me that just sounds like he was elementaryschool flirting with you.”

 

 

“No, trust me that’s not what it was. It was more like… I mean when he eyed me up and down in that smug way… I was wearing my pink jeans jacket you know.” Isak sighs. “it was more like overcompensating straight guy mocking the kid with the pink jacket.”

 

 

Magnus started shaking his head. “Nah man, from what I’ve heard, he’s a decent guy. Good, even.”

 

 

Isak scoffed, starting to pick the rest of his pizza apart. “Mags, do you even fucking know him, or is that just what you’ve heard from those frat bros, you’re trying to impress? I mean, no offense, but them liking this Even guy, is not gonna help his case in my eyes.”

 

 

This time Magnus was the one to huff, before he fixed Isak with a patient and schooling gaze. “Isak, I know you think I’m shallow all the time, but I wouldn’t just brush something off like this, if I actually thought that somebody was coming at one of my bros, okay?” He narrowed his eyes for a second, before continuing, “Besides, isn’t it you, who’s always lecturing me about generalizing and shit like that? Putting all frat boys in one box, is hardly any different.”

 

 

Before Isak could say something along the lines of, ‘Magnus, you do realize that in the case of frat boys, they do actually choose to be in an institution that literally stands for being an obnoxious asshole’, Jonas beat him to it. “So… How do you know about him?”

 

 

“You know how Vilde spent a year in New York after high school? Even and his family permanently left Oslo and moved there a couple of years ago. I think Sana knows Even from before… She set it everything up for Vilde. Dude, he is loaded!” Magnus drew out the last word throwing a significant look at all of them “Like, his mom owns this fashion brand and she took in Vilde as an intern. His dad is some inherited business man, and fucking Even went to Columbia University.”

 

 

Mahdi snorted, “So what, you didn’t brush off his comments because he’s in a frat but because he’s, and I quote, ‘looaaaded’?”

 

 

“No man, let me fucking finish. Uhmm… Where was I? Oh yeah, so Vilde and I were still pretty close when she started her gap year, right? So, we used to skype all the time. She would always tell me about how good the Bech Næsheims were treating her. She said that she expected them to be distanced and snobbish, since they’re upper class and all that. Wasn’t the case! They treated her like family, instead. Even was like a brother to her and she said he was the nicest guy she’s ever met.” Remembering this, Magnus smiled a little bit sadly, “I gotta be honest, in the beginning I was a quite jealous, but he was there for Vilde, and that must count for something.”

 

 

Isak was confused. So, if this Even guy graduated from Columbia, then why the fuck was he taking an extra credit crystal course at the University of Oslo? Why was Isak feeling so invested in understanding –

 

 

Isak’s stream of thought was interrupted by the doorbell.

 

 

“Must be Eva, I invited her, I told you right?” Jonas asked as he was getting up from his chair. He looked at the three sets of raised eyebrows and shrugged, “Whoops! Well Eva’s joining.”, and with that, he vanished to open the door for his soulmate, who to everyone’s annoyance, would always find a way to crush their boys time.

 

\---

 

A couple of hours and few beers later, they were all huddled together in the living room. Eva’s back was plastered to Jonas’ chest, her feet laying on Isak’s lap. Jonas kissed her cheek.

 

 

Mahdi cleared his throat “Hey, lovebirds”, he beamed with a slightly slurred voice. “How’d you know, this was it? Like how’d you know, you were soulmates?”

 

 

Eva giggled “Where’s this coming from Mahdi?”, she asked, curiosity seeping through her voice.

 

 

Mahdi’s face morphed into a considering expression. He started to trace the inside of his wrist with his index finger, before speaking up “You know how I was traveling through Europe over the semester break? I met this girl in Berlin… Her name’s Anna-Maria. We met on the subway.”

 

 

The story continues as follows: _Apparently Mahdi and Anna-Maria felt this instant connection. The girl, being a local, had asked him if he wanted a private tour of the city. Soon after that, they found themselves in a German style coffee house. Anna being the blunt city girl that she apparently was, asked Mahdi to turn around his hand right after he’d set their coffees on the table. As it turned out, both of their marks read **“2020”.** Both of them were supposed to see their soulmates for the first time this year._

 

 

“We went to the matching office there… The Institute der Seelenverwandtschaft Berlin.” Mahdi ran a hand through his hair, almost breaking his tongue, pronouncing the German word. “You know the drill, they took our fingerprints and we waited. No prickling in our wrists, no change in our marks-”,

 

 

This is where he cut himself off. They did know the drill. This was, what happened to 55 percent of the world population. Knowing that one’s soulmates existed, waiting out there somewhere, did not ensure everybody would actually get to know theirs. Not by a long shot.

 

 

_The soulmate system. It first emerged in the mid 1900’s, when it was still believed to bring peace upon the world. Peace that it so desperately needed after two destructive world wars. In the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, appeared a hole. A hole which was surrounded by completely still water. Personnel of the British royal army had first caught sight of it. As it turned out, the hole led to an undersea cave. As scientists, archaeologists and government employees from all over the world sailed in to explore the cave, they found an object. The object would later be established to be a hard drive. It was visibly embedded in a crystal wall. Upon pressing the button on top of the object, it converted into a computer, as complex and compact as never deemed possible. Up to that point in time computers and hard drives as known today had been a foreign concept. The hard drive came with a single file called **“το άλλο μου μισό”**._

 

 

_As it turned out, it translated to **“My other half”** from Greek to English._

 

 

 _Experts opened the file and with it, the crystal wall burst into a dust-like substance. Behind it, they found an endlessly long tunnel, walls covered in thin lined patterns. Documents on the hard drive revealed that the patterns were fingerprint pairs. Each pair of finger prints, belonging to a pair of “soulmates”. These soulmates were pairs, ideally suited for one another. Another document explained, that the crystal dust would diffuse with the air and end up covering the entirety of the earth. Apparently, the dust embodied energies which traveled the world and graced people with marks on their wrists. Those marks to this day, revealed which year a person first set eyes on their soulmate. New born babies were graced with the mark right after their birth, as the energies terminally became a part of this universe._  
_Unfortunately, a new crystal wall emerged soon after the first one burst, closing the entrance to the tunnel of soulmates._

 

 

_The other half of the file revealed building plans to build “matching institutes” all over the world. There would be one in each capital of every country or state. Those matching institutes held the key to the fingerprints that would match. People would go there with the person, they thought could be their soulmate and the pair had to put their thumbs on a Rose Quartz. The Rose Quartz was a crystal also called the "Love Stone." Its energetic mark was that of unconditional love that opened the heart chakra._

 

 

Eva threw an empathetic look in Mahdi’s direction “Hey, so what, she’s not your soulmate. You still have a chance of finding them over the next four months, or even after that! But don’t forget that love does not only exist for soulmates! Humankind has survived so many years without the new system. People still fell in love over the past thousands of years, you know.”

 

 

Jonas was nodding his head in agreement, finishing her speech with “Yeah bro, you should totally hit her up again if you don’t find your soulmate this year! If the same is the case for her, you could totally have something good there. You said you had an instant connection, right?”

 

 

Mahdi smiled appreciatively “I know, I know. But there are still 4 months left to find my person, you know? I feel like the whole connection thing with Anna-Maria might have been just us wanting it to be real so badly. I mean, I hardly even know her.”

 

 

Isak got up and sat beside Mahdi putting an arm around his shoulder “Dude, I keep telling you we should go to the Institute, I’m still convinced we’re a match, man!”

 

 

“Bro, keep dreaming”, Mahdi laughed “we first saw each other in high school, so not possible”

 

 

Eva shot up beaming, “Oh right! Isak you’re also set for this year. How’s that going?”

 

 

Before Isak could utter so much as a word, Magnus burst into an especially loud laugh. He pointed straight at Isak and almost yelled “You guys! Imagine Even being his fucking soulmate! Would be the ultimate hate to love story, man. I’d totally dig it.”

 

 

Isak stilled immediately. Pictures were flashing up in his mind. Pictures of ocean blue eyes changing into cloudy grey looking eyes, turning into almost black looking ones before transforming into a turquoise shade and then going back to the calm ocean blue.

 

 

When he came back to it, four pairs of eyes were set on him, looking warily.

 

 

Jonas broke the silence “Isak, are you okay? You just froze, as if your life was flashing before your eyes”

 

 

Isak squeezed his eyes together tightly, taking a deep breath. “I’m… Okay don’t laugh, alright? But I actually think he may be? E—Even?” Isak dropped his head, playing with his fingers “I know this sounds crazy, but when we first saw each other, his eyes did this thing. Like, they were changing color. I know it shouldn’t be possible, but you know with the energies doing weird things to some people and all of that...”

 

 

He looked up, being greeted with an excited looking Magnus and a puzzled looking Eva.

 

 

“Dude changing eye color? Maybe you’ve been drugged? Could also have been a dream or something?” Jonas offered, squinting his eyes at Isak.

 

 

Eva cleared her voice, then she asked “Okay, sorry but who are we talking about exactly?”

 

 

“Even Beck Næsheim. Apparently, he’s friends with Vilde?”, Jonas answered brushing his hands over her shoulders.

 

 

Eva’s eyes widened, before she huffed, fixing Isak with a teasing look in her eyes. “Aww Isak. Sorry to disappoint… I know he’s probably the man of your dreams, but there is zero chance, he’s your soulmate.”

 

 

Isak raised his eyebrows in question, urging her to continue.

 

 

“He can’t be your soulmate, because he was supposed to meet his years ago. I mean, I remember Vilde telling me about thinking Even was her soulmate, when she first met him. Turns out his mark was set for 2017 and he was already living in New York at that time.”

 

 

Isak felt his stomach get fuzzy, which could have been with relief or disappointment simultaneously. Relief, because his soulmate was not somebody he started out resenting, and disappointment, because, well. He only had 4 months left to find his other half. Surely, you could still meet your soulmate during any other year, but the chances slimmed drastically. Statistically speaking, 90 percent of the people who did match successfully, happened to do so during their set year. However, there was still the chance that Isak’s soulmate was set to first notice him in an upcoming year and they would match then. Such cases had been reported before.

 

 

Isak clapped his hands together. He imitated the high-pitched voice, the lady in the soulbound commercials would always speak in, when they popped up close to New Year’s Eve, every year “Well. Let the search continue. Every day could be the lucky one, because this year is ours 2020’s.”

 

 

Mahdi crackled beside him. “That was creepy man. This is why we could never match”. The boy ruffled Isak’s hair and the rest of the evening was spent reminiscing about old times, drinking beer and brushing off Magnus’ continued attempts to convince them of going to “EBN’s” party in a couple of weeks.

 

 

Isak could not shed the nagging feeling in his stomach for the rest of the night.

 

\---

 

In the beginning of the year, Isak had been in over his head, trying to find his match. He took every opportunity possible to approach people, he noticed and figure out whether they could be his potential soulmate. Going that hard got exhausting after the first three months.  
His grandmother had advised him to “just let it happen”. She was a strong believer in energies and crystals and trusted the universe to do the right thing. Last New Year’s Eve, she had given Isak a Green Jade crystal to wear around his neck. The stone was, as his grandma put it, “The wingman among all crystals.”. Although Isak had not been sure how to feel about putting his hope in the hands of a necklace, it wasn’t going to cause any damage either. He ended up wearing it every day since.

 

 

Sitting in the library, Isak was trying to milk the motivation, he always had in the first weeks of a new semester, as much as possible. They had just started a course called consciousness and so far, the literature had been interesting enough to keep him engaged.  
As he was going through some lecture slides, he noticed a shadow hovering over his laptop. Isak did not feel the need to look up in wonder of who had joined, because the low, and slightly sarcastic voice could only belong to one person.

 

 

“MARVEL boy… Hey.” Even’s hair was looking soft as ever. Isak spotted his white Ralph Lauren sweater and dark blue, well-fitting jeans as the young man sat down across from him.

 

 

It was bizarre, really. See, Isak was a lot of things but he would not necessarily deem himself the most patient person. Yet, here he was keeping himself from rolling his eyes and instead meeting Even’s piercing gaze with two blinks. He decided to give the guy the benefit of the doubt. Just for now.

 

 

“Even, is it?” Even widened his eyes for a second, nodding a little helplessly, his delicate facial features making something twist within Isak’s body. “Alright, so you got your funny moment, calling me MARVEL boy and all - Now, if you don’t mind… I’m kind of trying to work here” Isak explained, motioning to the evident study session, he was trying to have.

 

 

Even leaned forward with his elbows on the table, squinting at Isak’s chest, which made Isak wonder, if the boy was looking at his necklace. Even leaned back, raising an eyebrow “So, you’re stalking me now?”.

 

 

“People talk, you know. And much to my annoyance your name keeps popping up, because apparently nothing beats discussing a New York City frat boy snob. One, who enjoys keeping people from getting their work done. Probably just for the sake of it as well.” Isak felt a little proud of himself.

 

 

Even leaned back in his chair. His eyes widening in a slightly puzzled way. It was a mystery to Isak, how the otherwise confidence radiating guy always expressed a sense of confused hesitancy around him.

 

 

“Yeah… I guess people talk. I’d prefer Oslo city boy, though… I was born here, after all.” His eyes were flitting over Isak’s face. “You’re irritated?”

 

 

“Excuse me?”, Isak shot him an incredulous look.

 

 

“Like, I’m bothering you, aren’t I?” Even shook his head softly, before throwing an accusing look in Isak’s direction. “You’re hard for me to read, is all.”

 

 

Isak was startled for a second before he released an actual short burst of laughter. “What, can you not read social cues or something? I don’t think I could’ve been more blunt about how you’re keeping me from studying right now.”

 

 

Even let out a chuckle that sent shivers down Isak’s spine “Are you feeling stressed?”

 

 

“Dude, what…?” Isak felt himself getting drained by this conversation. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?” he concluded, hating the resigned tone to his voice.

 

 

Even’s face sobered up and he hastily started shaking his head. “No, of course not. It’s just that I don’t find myself responding well to mysteries, MARVEL boy.”  
With that, the corners of his lips rose, eyes literally twinkling. He got up, looking taller than should be legal and started walking backwards.

 

 

“Not a frat boy by the way. See you around, Isak.” With that he turned around and was gone within seconds.

 

 

Isak could not remember ever mentioning his name to Even. Then again… People really did talk.  
Something he doubted though, was that anybody would ever perceive him as a mystery. He was a children’s puzzle book at most. See, Isak thought himself to be a reasonable guy. He’d make an effort with his friends and family. He was nice to strangers if they did the same for him, engaging in small talk every now and then and making appearances at parties. He’d try to keep from being fake as much as possible in a world full of pretense. So - no, him not kissing some rich guy’s ass just for the sake of it, was not him being a mystery. He was just staying true to himself.

 

 

Even Bech Næsheim however. He was the fucking personification of every mystery thriller ever written.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello :)! The beginning of this chapter is quite important for the plot of the story, so you shouldn't skip it, even if grandma talks aren't really your cup of tea.  
> Hope you enjoy this!

Cecilie Valtersen was a woman of wit, strength and hopefulness. That’s what she would always be in Isak’s eyes anyways. His grandmother, with her 84 years, had no fucks to give about what other people thought. “Life is simply too short, Isak”, she would always say. Funny thing was that this particular trait was not something that just came with her age -It was a trait that she had always prided herself in.

 

Cecilie always had and always will have a huge impact on Isak’s life. As things at home got rough for him when he was a teenager, she was the one to take him in. His grandmother certainly was not an ordinary woman. Isak’s father always had a lot of things to say about his mother in law. A lot of them had to do with his theory that she was the one to drive his wife into “madness”. Therefore, it did not come as a surprise when he tried to keep Isak from moving in with her. In the end, there were not many other options. His mom had gotten worse and worse, driving his father into alcoholism. When Jonas’ parents called child support, a decision had to be made. Moving in with his grandmother or being put into a boy’s home.

 

“Honey, I know you say you don’t like tea, but this will be so good for you. I mixed it myself from Chinese herbs! They use it to calm a restless mind and promote sleep.”

 

“Is that your way of saying I look like shit, grams?”

 

His grandmother was walking towards him with a walking cane in her hand, the other hand balancing a tea tray. Isak jumped up to take the tray from her. They went over to her winter garden and sat down on the rocking chairs, which had blankets folded on top of them.

 

Isak leaned forward inhaling the steam from the tea. He wrinkled his nose “I’ll give it a try, grams”

 

“Atta boy!”  She offered him a satisfied smile and that alone was worth forcing down the bitter, hot beverage.

 

Cecilie watched him like a hawk, patiently waiting for Isak to talk. She definitely knew that something was up, since it was unlike Isak, to randomly take the long bus ride to his grandma’s place. Especially in the middle of the week. Then, there was also the fact, that apparently, he didn’t look too good. He didn’t want to talk though, because he wasn’t even sure what had brought him here in the first place. Instead of telling her what was on his mind, he started examining the photographs that were hanging on the wall across from him.

 

“Grandma… how come you never talk about him? Your brother… His name was Alexader, right?”, he asked, inspecting a childhood photograph of Cecilie and the boy standing beside her.

 

Cecilie tilted her head, a thoughtful look on her face “Well sweetheart, you’ve never asked.” She took a sip from her tea, pulling the blanket over her lap. Isak wondered if it was for comfort, since it was only September

 

“He was a special boy, your great-uncle. There are many ways in which you remind me of him. When the war ended in 1945 and the tunnel of energies was opened, something happened to him. I was only eight years old at the time, he was ten". She took a deep breath, fixing her eyes on a point behind Isak.

 

“Alexander... he had autism. I told you that before, right? He has always been more sensitive towards certain stimuli than others. When the crystal wall exploded, we all felt it in different ways.", she cleared her throat thoughtfully, "Grandson, you were born into this universe, but it has not always been like this. Everything has not always been this intense.”

 

Isak sometimes forgot that the energies had only been there for 76 years. A world without them, without a soulmate to search for, was hard to imagine.

 

“The energies… They changed something in…more receptive people... Special people. You know, apparently it didn’t say anything about this in the original files, but…” Cecilie shook her head “I would not put it past the government to cover up something big like that.”

 

“something big?”

 

“Surely you have heard about cases in which people do odd things, such as talking to people who cannot be seen by anyone else or attracting swarms of bees and coming out of it without a single sting.”

 

Isak did hear about those. He also knew about a second-grade girl, called Elise, who had claimed that she could talk to trees. One day she had climbed all the way up the Oaktree right in the middle of their schoolyard at Nissen. After that, the tree had been surrounded by candles and pictures of Elise for weeks, following her tragic death.

 

Isak was biting his lip, looking down into his lap “So... Are you talking about delusions? Like mom has them?” he looked up, meeting his grandmother’s patient gaze.

 

“That’s what they tell you, isn’t it? You see… Alexander had always been more sensitive towards certain cues. It was something that came with the autism. But... when the energies were released, something about him changed. We were sharing a room and he would always tell me everything he knew about reptiles, because they fascinated him. The day, when the energies fully reached Oslo and our marks appeared, Alexander became remarkably quiet. He would just look around with wide eyes. Every now and then he would flinch as if he’d been startled by something that wasn’t actually there.”

 

Cecilie smiled sadly, before continuing her story – “I told my parents, because he was starting to scare me. He wasn’t sleeping at night, would disappear randomly and have more extreme outbursts than ever before. My parents were watching him more closely after that, seeking out new doctors and counselors every week. Nothing really seemed to help and I started to find an interest in crystals. I read about their healing powers and thought that maybe they could help him, but – but before I even got the chance to help him, my parents came home one day, telling me they had taken Alexander to a specialized clinic. That he would stay there for a while.”

 

Isak felt the insides of his chest tightening “That’s where he died, isn’t it?”

 

“That is where he died, yes. Seven years later. And over all of those years, I never got to visit him. Isak, they… Alexander sent me letters. They were drawings mostly. Nobody would look twice at them, but they told me everything I needed to know. They were hidden messages. Alexander wasn’t a patient, he was a weapon. The energies, they made his hearing and vision exceptionally sensitive and -”

 

“They used him as like - a spy?” Isak interrupted her, his heart beating out of his chest.

 

He reached for Cecilie’s hand across the table and squeezed it as she offered him a relieved smile

 

“You believe me.” It was more so a realization than a question.

 

Isak gave her a firm nod, squeezing her hand once more before releasing it. “I think that most people have an idea of what is really going on in those research clinics, you know. It’s just something that keeps being brushed under the carpet. But I’m… You know in my new age psychology books they call them s _ensitivities_.”, he pauses, “it’s just more about the general change in how we feel and perceive things, now that the energies are there. Nothing about actual, like … superpowers.”

 

His grandma released a startled chuckle, pursing her lips. “Superpowers… of course that’s what you take from that story.”

 

Isak started nibbling on his bottom lip and before he could reconsider, he burst out “I think mine might be the moon… My sensitivity, I mean.”

 

The old woman brushed a string of her silver hair behind her ear, smiling at Isak in a knowing way.

 

“You always have been drawn to the moon, ever since you were a little child.”

 

“It’s not like… I don’t hear it talk to me or anything like that. It just... has a calming effect sometimes, when I can’t sleep? I think other times it’s the reason why I can’t sleep and on full moons, I just… feel things a little more intensely.”

 

“Just embrace it sweetheart. You’re so strong and I am sure that the lunar energy is a save source for you to recharge.”

 

She got up from her rocking chair and went over to the kitchen aisle, closing a can. She took the can and brought it over to Isak, placing it in his lap. "The tea leaves are in there. Just serve yourself some on nights, you feel restless.”

 

She gave him another one of her knowing looks “You know Isak, you can’t hide anything from me. You may look a little tired, but you’re also glowing. Did you maybe...meet someone really special, you'd like to tell me about?”

 

“Excuse me?”, Isak gaped in confusion.

 

“Well… either that or you’re doing a juice cleanse at the moment, which… unlikely.”

 

She winked and placed a kiss on Isak’s cheek, before she went over to the staircase, leading to the bedrooms. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ll go lay down a little. Stay as long as you please.”

 

With that she vanished from his view.

…

Sitting in the auditorium, Isak ran a hand through his hair, his heart beating fast. His grandma said a lot of things, but he did not always take all of those …too seriously. However, when she had that knowing look on her face, it usually meant that she did indeed know something. Then again, that would mean Isak set eyes on his soulmate some time over the last three weeks, since that was how long he hadn’t visited Cecilie, before yesterday. He couldn’t remember noticing anything out of the ordinary at all. Usually people did feel something unique when they set eyes on their soulmate, but sometimes those moments were rushed. People were lost in crowds, were rushed off by the subway, not interested in their soulmate because they were already in a happy relationship…The list went on. There were several reasons, why people never matched with or never met their soulmate, but the recognition, the moment when they saw their other half for the first time, was supposedly unique.

 

Now Isak hated to think this, but the only out of the ordinary experience lately, had been his encounter with Even. Confronting people about their marks wasn’t anything too strange.  People did it all the time. Eva had said that there was no chance whatsoever that Even was his soulmate, but maybe her memory was just off. Maybe Vilde had actually told her that Even couldn’t be her soulmate because he was set for a couple years later. Maybe Eva had heard another similar story from another friend, where the mark was set for the past. It happened all the time. Episodic memory could not always be trusted after all,  as he had learned in his _Learning and Memory_ course last year.

 

“Hey Isak!”, a shrill voice pulled Isak out of his thoughts. The red-haired girl, who sat in front of him and tried to kill him with her eyes last week, was grinning brightly at him. She extended her hand towards Isak and sat down next to him. Isak shook it warily.

 

“I’m Lillian!  I believe we got off on the wrong foot last time…”, she smiled a little bit shyly, “you know, it’s just so disrespectful to disturb people when they’re trying to pay attention to a lecture. I know this is just an extra credit course, but some people actually want to learn.”

 

“Uhhm… How do you know my name?”, Isak felt ambushed and that question was the first thing that came to his mind.

 

The girl, Lillian apparently, eyed him as if he had grown a second head.  She giggled a little nervously, “right... you know Even? He made sure to tell me that he was the one who started the whole thing last week… He told me your name and said I shouldn’t be mad at you.”

 

What the fuck.

 

“Where is he? Even, have you seen him? I need to talk to him.” Isak was speaking without thinking today. The girl probably thought he had lost his mind or something.

 

Lillian looked around the auditorium before turning back to face Isak “I mean, he’s not here obviously…But the lectures aren’t mandatory and I don’t really think he needs the extra credits. Did you know that he graduated from Columbia University!?”, the last part made her tone one octave higher, which Isak would have never deemed possible.

 

He felt a rush of annoyance going through his abdomen. “Okay, look.  I appreciate the peace offer, but if you’re just doing it ‘because Even told you so’, you might as well let it be.” He gave her a warning look, to make his point.

 

She blushed a little bit and avoided looking at him, when she said “No, no I’m actually sorry about lashing out on you. I mean, it wasn’t completely for no reason, but I probably shouldn’t have threatened you about the foam party thing.” She smiled, a little embarrassedly. “You should totally come by the way. I organized it!” She flashed her pearly white teeth, grinning.

 

Isak nodded, considering what she had said “Yeah, well I'm also sorry... I mean  for being loud last time.”

 

Lillian shrugged and waved a hand through the air, indicating that it was okay. “Whatever”, she replied with a curious look on her face. “So…  I couldn’t help but notice your necklace… Are you actually into crystals? Me too!”, she was beaming now. “I feel like everybody else is just taking this class because they need the credits."

 

Well that’s university, for you, Isak thought.

 

“I don’t like the fact that the whole energy and crystal business can’t be explained scientifically, you know? But it’s intriguing. I love it, but I hate it”, he decided to say. When he started to absentmindedly play with his necklace, he noticed that Lillian’s gaze had dropped to his wrist, her eyes focusing on his mark.

 

“Ayye! You’re set for this year? Something else we have in common!”, she exclaimed, as she turned her wrist around, revealing the 2020 mark on her own wrist.

 

Isak chuckled a little uncomfortable, coming up with a strategy to let her down easily.

 

Turned out, he didn’t have to do that. “Woah, no need to look so terrified, hun! Don’t worry, I don’t swing that way.”, Lillian laughed, giving him an exaggerated wink.

 

Isak huffed offended, feeling relief seeping through his body. This made everything a lot less awkward. He feigned offense, putting a hand on his chest “Uhm, excuse, me I’m irresistible, everybody swings the Isak way.”

 

Lillian’s hazel eyes were sparkling, her fiery red hair bouncing as she shook her head with what seemed to be fondness. Isak felt his lips turning upwards, noticing with joy that his smile was genuine.

 

The guy sitting in front of them turned around with a grim expression on his face, leaving them almost on the floor from laughing too hard, when he hissed “Can the two of you shut the fuck up!?”

 

Stepping out of the auditorium that day, left Isak with a mission. The next time he would see Even, he'd get his damn answers.

\---

His first chance came only a couple of hours later.

 

Magnus was laughing nervously, catching Isak’s attention by waving a hand in his face, “Dude…Did your dad fuck over Even’s family business or something?”

 

Isak, Noora and Magnus were having a chat between classes. The campus was crowded with students, everybody enjoying the autumn breeze, before it would get too cold to hang out anywhere else than inside the university.

 

“What do you mean?”, Isak wondered, looking between a curious looking Noora and a confused looking Magnus.

 

“It’s just… okay don’t turn around, but Even keeps looking over here, sending daggers at your back with his eyes, or something, do y- ” 

 

Isak stopped listening and turned around. Magnus was not wrong. The thing was, Even did not even so much as try to cover up the fact that he was staring right at Isak. From this distance, Isak could not make out the blue color of the boy’s eyes but he could tell that they were somewhat darker than the last time he had seen him. His eyes were fixed on Isak’s face, but he wasn’t really making eye contact. Isak almost felt examined in a way. It was just so strange.

 

Then again, if Isak’s suspicions were right and Even turned out to be his soulmate, all of this might not be as weird as it seemed. Maybe Even felt something as well and he didn’t know how to deal with it.

 

Isak really hoped that him being a boy, or the fact that he was not exactly in Even’s social class, were not the reasons for the boy’s bizarre behavior. The point of finding your soulmate, was to find the right person, without social constructs being an obstacle, after all.

 

Isak was going to make his way over to Even and ask him for a quick talk. However, as soon as he took one step forward, eyes still fixed on Even, the boy’s eyes widened and he shook his head slightly. Isak halted, his heart halting with him for a second. He felt a rush of confusion and irritation go through his entire body. It must have shown on his face, because Even shrugged apologetically, a meaningful look gracing his face.

 

Isak didn’t feel like he had a choice. He wasn’t going to make Even uncomfortable, if he didn’t want to talk right now. The boy was standing with his friends after all, as Isak came to realize. Maybe it just wasn’t the right time.

 

Isak turned around and was met with silence from his two friends. They had obviously followed the whole exchange. If you could even call it that.

 

Noora cleared her throat “I mean…It’s none of our business, right?”, she told Isak, fixing Magnus with a stern look. Magnus was opening his mouth, clearly about to say something stupid, ignoring what the girl had just said. Noora swatted him on the shoulder once, “Come on Magnus, we’ll be late for statistics”, she scolded the boy, pulling him away by his sleeve.

 

Isak smiled at her in what he hoped resembled thankfulness and she winked at him, dragging a gaping Magnus away with her.

 

Isak wasn’t going to tell his friends about his suspicions. Eva had made it clear in front of them, that Even could not be Isak’s soulmate.  He was going to talk to Even and if it turned out that there was a chance of him being Isak’s soulmate, he could still update his friends about the situation, without making himself look stu-

 

“Halla."

 

Isak spun around, being faced with a tall, rosy cheeked Even. He looked like he was about to say something, when a boy with prince-like, brown hair started pulling Even away with him.

 

“C’mon Even! Let’s go”, the boy uttered rather harshly, glaring at Isak.

 

For a moment, Isak felt like the protagonist of one of those American high-school movies, watching the mysterious and popular male lead walking away from him. All in slow motion, naturally. The feeling really only lasted for a few seconds. Isak wasn’t in high school anymore. He also wasn’t American. Most importantly, he sure as hell wasn’t a pining, blushing mess, trying to get noticed by some crush. Isak simply wanted answers, so that he could move the hell on. One way or another. Taking a deep breath, Isak promised himself that, given the opportunity, he would get his fucking answers. Preferably as soon as possible. Isak had many things he was the very best at. Patience still wasn’t one of them.

 

 

**Magnus**

**15:28**

**Magnus** :

That was intense tho bro.

 

Did you guys hook up or something?

 

I mean the thing with Even on campus today btw…

 

Isak???

 

Fine whatever.

\----

Isak’s opportunity to get answers came two days later.

 

Oslo’s national academy of the arts had organized a little festival in the Palace Park. It was a tradition, they repeated every year in order to celebrate the start of the new semester and welcome the first years. Eva, who was starting her third semester as an art major had invited them. Well, she had invited Jonas but there was hardly any difference. “Home is where the bros are”, Jonas had said, pecking Eva on the lips once, when the four boys had arrived at the entrance to get their stamps. Eva had merely rolled her eyes, before grabbing Jonas’ hand and dragging him away. There were lanterns hanging from trees, little stages with live music playing, food trucks and different activities set up.

 

Mahdi got back from the waffle truck, smiling so bright, Isak could barely see his friend’s eyes anymore. “Guys, these are so fucking good!”, he said with a mouth full of chewed up waffle, leaving Isak frowning. Mahdi swallowed, “I mean it’s beyond me, why the hell you would celebrate the start of the school year, but man I don’t mind, if it means that I’ll be blessed with this deliciousness once a year.”

 

Magnus snorted out his beer.

 

Isak raised an eyebrow. “Dude, I’m telling you, if your study revolved around playing around with crayons or whatever and getting high all the time for inspiration, you’d also celebrate.”

 

He was met with silence. Mahdi stuffing an extra big piece of waffle into his mouth, while Magnus just stood there blushing and widening his eyes at something happening behind Isak.

 

Before Isak could turn around and figure out, what was so damn interesting that it made his joke fall flat in front of fucking Magnus of all people, an amused sounding, low voice made him freeze.

 

“That’s what you think we’re doing? Playing around with crayons? Getting high?”

 

Even placed himself in their little circle, right in front of Isak. Isak wasn’t the slightest bit surprised when the young man raised his eyebrows at him in challenge. Isak raised his own right back at him. Two could play this game.

 

Even snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. “Hey, so -”

 

“I need to talk to you. Now.”, Isak ignored Even’s offended look at being interrupted and took the young man’s sleeve, pulling him away.

 

He turned around for a second and informed the boys, “this won’t take long, just text me where you’re going, I’ll meet you there.”

 

With that, he pulled a startled looking Even through the crowd, practically pushing people out of their way until he found an empty bench in a relatively quiet spot.

 

Okay, so Isak may not have thought this through in detail. For starters, he began with sitting down, while Even just kept standing there tensely, looking around as if he was planning his escape route. Not this time, Isak thought, rolling his lips between his teeth tightly. He cleared his throat, catching Even’s attention.

 

As the other boy eyed Isak warily, Isak patted the spot beside him “Please sit down, Even.”

 

Even did as he was told without hesitation, his face guarded from showing any kind of emotion.

 

Upon sitting down, he held up the arm, Isak hadn’t dragged around just minutes ago, revealing two bottles of beer in his hand. “I was just gonna bring this over before you know… you made fun of my major, dragged me away and forced me to sit on this cold ass bank”

 

Isak felt his face softening, his cheeks heating up. “I was just joking and I’m hardly forcing you”, he defended himself, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“You said ‘please’, in a bossy voice. Didn’t give me much of a choice, did it?” Even’s eyes studied Isak’s face in an intense way, before he settled for a smile that seemed a little forced.

 

“I did say that. It’s something, you say when you have manners…I know, crazy concept” Isak snickered, ignoring the part about him apparently coming off as ‘bossy’.

 

“So, you’re an art major? Not gonna lie, I didn’t see that one coming”, Isak tried to ease his way into the conversation with small talk.

 

“Kind of - yeah.” There was a pause and apparently Even wasn’t a fan of chit-chatting, because the next thing that came out of his mouth was, “The crystal you wear around your neck… Can I see it?”

 

It was beyond Isak, why Even would want to see his necklace, but he saw an opportunity in the request, as he had his own requests, he needed to ask of Even. The human kind was a sucker for reciprocity after all. Carefully, Isak took a hold of the thin silver chain that was visible on his neck, pulling the necklace out from under his shirt. He left it hanging out in plain sight, the green jade stone falling into place right in the middle of his chest.

 

Even’s ocean blues fixated on it, blinking a couple of times. He slowly lifted his eyes towards Isak’s, smiling almost shyly. “I know this is probably weird, but can you take it off for a moment?”. His voice sounded weirdly quiet, in a way that made him almost seem vulnerable.

 

There was a dull sound of chatter and music coming from the party, not too far away and the night breeze made Isak shiver.

 

“So, what? You want to like… Take a closer look at it?”, Isak blurted out, tilting his head to the side.

 

Even narrowed his eyes, nodding slowly, “Sure… yeah, that’s what I want”

 

Isak took off the necklace, laying it down on the bench between the two of them. Then he was just confused, because- 

 

Even wasn’t even looking at it. Instead, he was squinting at Isak for a few seconds, before sighing resignedly.

 

Isak was about to ask him what that was about when an idea came to his mind. He took the necklace back into his hands.

 

“Hey, you should… would you like to feel the texture of the stone? It’s… a good texture” He put on a hopeful smile, praying Even would just take the admittedly weak bait.

 

“Uhh…okay?”

 

“Okay. Just… open your palm”

 

Even didn’t hesitate at all, turning his hand around. Isak stared at the **2017** marked into the skin of the young man’s pale wrist, realization hitting him.

 

It wasn’t Even.

 

He dropped the necklace into Even’s palm, trying to morph his face back into a neutral expression, before raising his eyes back up to look at the other’s face.

 

He shouldn't have done that. Even was staring at him in disbelief,

 

“Y-You…", he stuttered, "Did you just trick me into showing you my mark?”

 

Isak wasn’t really in the mood to have this conversation anymore. “Yes, Even. I did.”

 

If he didn’t know any better, he would almost interpret Even’s facial expression then, as slightly panicked. Alarmed at the very least.

 

“What?”, Isak snapped, brushing a tired hand over his face. He really, really needed to leave this fucking bench already.

 

“Isak, we don’t even get along!”, Even’s voice sounded like he was pleading with Isak. Isak didn’t understand, why his voice sounded so at contradiction with what he was saying. He picked up the beer from the ground and raised it at Even in a gesture, he hoped said 'cheers'.

 

“I don’t question your motives behind the whole necklace thing. You don’t question mine for thinking you could be my soulmate.”

 

That being said, Isak took the necklace from Even’s slack hand, before standing up from the bench.

 

He turned around, leaving a distraught looking Even staring at his back. A strangely empty feeling began to settle his stomach.

 

“Have a good night, Even.”, Isak mumbled, before taking off into the night to drink himself silly with his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thanks so much for reading <3!! I really didn't think I'd ever get into writing my own fanfiction, but it's been surprisingly fun and a good way for me to do something productive during the semester break.
> 
> Have a good weekend guys :))


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello peeps and Happy Saturday :)
> 
> First of all, Thank You so, so much all the nice comments and kudos you've left!! I really wasn't expecting that and it's suc a source of motivation for me to continue <3333
> 
> Okay, I'm gonna apologies in advance, because I'm dead tired and although I read over this, I might have missed some mistakes :/
> 
> I'll be completely honest and say that I'm not really satisfied with this chapter, but I don't wanna stress too much about it, because I'm doing this for fun anyway, and it should stay that way. Let me know what you think about it, if you feel like it, but no pressure :D
> 
> This is a bridging chapter, and I promise the relationship between Even and Isak will be more in focus after this ;)
> 
> Lastly, as this is my first work, and I'm new to this whole thing, I don't really know if there are any warnings I missed to mention or tags that I should add? Really don't want to make anybody feel uncomfortable, because I failed to put up a warning for something. So if there is anything you notice, please let me know :)

**Guru**

**13:31**

**Isak**

Wanna hang?

 

**Guru**

When, where, how come you’re alive, yet

my last three messages were ignored?

 

**Isak**

I need your advice.

If you answer sth. dramatic, I’ll take it back.

 

**Guru**

Are you okay?

You can come over to my place, any time after 16:00

We’ll talk, I’ll make it all better

Isak??

Guru is here for you

 

**Isak**

Calm down, I’ll be there around 17:30

 

**Guru**

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3

 

**Isak**

<3

 

**Guru**

Ouch…

 

**Isak**

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

now shut up

_\---_

 

_Isak had been traveling South and Central America for his gap year when he first met Eskild. The somewhat sweaty, nervous looking, red head had practically ambushed him in a gay club in Buenos Aires._

 

_“Hey! I_ _’m Eskild! Look, this is gonna be awkward, but I can_ _’t pull the whole_ _‘order you a drink and then watch your wrist as you pick it up_ _– move_ _’, because you_ _’re wearing that watch_ _…”  The man, Eskild apparently, had released another nervous laugh,_ _“so I_ _’m just gonna be straight up. Any chance you_ _’re looking for your soulmate_ _… I mean, like_ _… this year?_ _”_

_It hadn_ _’t been the first time that this happened to Isak by far. People had their own little strategies for checking out other people_ _’s marks when they were in search for their soulmate. However, Eskild_ _’s somewhat aggressive approach had Isak scratching his neck awkwardly._

_“Uhh...,_ _” Isak had chuckled a little,_ _“Hey Eskild_ _… Sorry, but no_ _…Got a couple of years left, so sorry, dude_ _…”, he had said in his school English, trying to sound as apologetic as appropriate._

 

_Eskild had released a breath, looking almost relieved but resigned at the same time, when he admitted_ _“Oh well! I_ _’ll be honest, you_ _’re an eye catcher! Nice butt, and all_ _… but not really my type, anyway. Just needed to make sure, because you did catch my attention. You always hear about those cases where people miss out on finding their soulmate, because they only go after the person that looks like the popstar, they jack off to, or something like that_ _…” Eskild had sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically. Isak could relate, knowing all too well, how shallow people could be._

_Isak had considered the older man, asking_ _“Hey, you said your name_ _’s Eskild? You_ _’re not from around here, are you?_ _”_

_“Oslo, Norway. Decided I_ _’d love me a Latino guy as a soulmate, so I_ _’m travelling for a bit. Just trying my luck_ _…” Eskild had explained, a mischievous smile playing on his lips._

_Isak had felt his eyes widen in surprise,_ _“No way, man! I finished at Nissen this year_ _… Decided to take a gap year._ _”, Isak replied in Norwegian._

_Eskild_ _’s smile had transformed into a beaming grin_ _“Well look at that, straight outta high school. My Norwegian baby gay! Oh wait, you_ _’re gay, right? I mean this is a gay bar, but you could be pan? Bi? Shit I mean you could be straight as well. Are you-_ _” Eskild had rambled himself into a state of panic, and Isak decided to give the guy a break, interrupting him,_ _“Gay. I_ _’m gay. Like super gay, please just_ _… chill!_ _”_

_They had said cheers to being gay and decided to travel together relatively quickly after that, becoming something close to brothers over the months. Eskild eventually did find his soulmate._

 

_Eduardo had black hair, chocolate brown eyes, surrounded by freckles and a permanent tan. Eskild and Isak had parted ways after that, Eskild staying in Mexico with Eduardo and his family for the time being and Isak heading for Guatemala, to spend the last two months with a host family he had found in an online portal._

_\--_

 

Isak was about to ring Eskild’s door bell, when the door was pulled open hastily and a red-faced Eduardo almost crashed into him. “Lo siento!!, sorry Isak! Good to see you, amigo, but I gotta run,” the man squealed out in one breath, before speeding off and leaving a confused Isak behind.

 

Inside, Eskild sat down on the couch, setting a bottle of beer down in front of Isak and a mug with steam coming out, in front of himself.

 

Isak was nibbling on his bottom lip, not even gracing the bottle with a second look.

 

“That bad, huh?”, Eskild threw him a knowing look, folding his hands in his lap. “Little buddy, this doesn’t happen to be about the soulmate, who still hasn’t decided to show himself, does it?”

 

Isak just gave him noncommittal shrug. He was here to talk after all.

 

Eskild eyed him with an encouraging smile, “Look, remember South America? I was having a blast, having loads of sex, battling my fear of spiders, trying out new things to eat every day… Did you see me moping around, because it took time to find my soulmate?”

 

Isak huffed, leaning back against the couch cushion, “The sex was just you, trying not to get out of practice for when you meet your soulmate. Eduardo told me, how you called him once, when he was grocery shopping because ‘there was a huge spider’ in the bedroom and it turned out to be a lump of dust. Should I go on with how all you ever ate down there was Empanada, or with that time you almost went broke because you were missing fishcakes so much, you used priority mail to-”, Isak said in a mock voice, before being interrupted by a glaring Eskild, “Okay, okay, okay! Jesus Isak, you’re particularly grumpy today. I was actively preparing for my true love and…Okay I still don’t like spiders, whatever. But Isak, those are not examples of me moping around. I didn’t do that.”

 

Isak raised an eyebrow, “Eskild, one night in Peru, you came into my room, begging me to sleep in my bed, because you were so, and I quote ‘so lonely, Isaaaak’”, he mimicked Eskild’s voice, which was especially whiny on said night.

 

“Wow Isak, way to hold a moment of vulnerability against me.”

 

Isak lowered his head, feeling immediately bad for his words “But hey, you got your happy ending. Eduardo’s cool. You’re lucky he’s your soulmate.”

 

“I indeed got a happy ending. Especially, this morning to be completely honest. Oh, and then again, just before you arrived.”

 

Well, that would explain Eduardo's red face and flustered state.

 

“Okay enough about me and my marvelous sex life. You need my advice.”, Eskild clapped his hands together, fixing Isak with a questioning gaze.

 

Isak sighed, taking the cushion from his back and hugging it to his chest, “Okay, so I met this guy. His name is Even… He’s… I don’t even like him, I mean he’s pretentious as fuck. Apparently, his dad is millionaire and he lived in New York for several years… He walks around like he owns the place, doesn’t even pay attention to lectures and everyone seems to think the sun’s shining outta his ass. Perks of having rich parents, or what?”

 

Isak looked up at the ceiling, continuing “I don’t know…  It’s not that I like him, but when I first met him, my head got all fuzzy and when our eyes first met…like I could swear that his eyes changed color…And then all of the sudden he’s watching me on campus and whenever we’re close to each other, he ends up seeking me out…But when we talk he gets super weird… as if he can’t decide whether he wants to get closer or run away. And he keeps teasing me but I can’t decide if he’s being mean or just trying to be funny. It doesn’t even matter anymore, because…he’s not my soulmate. I don’t know why, but I was so sure, that he could be. Now I feel like I’m back to square one…Then there’s my grandma making this comment about me looking like I’ve already met my soulmate. I mean, it was probably just her being… well you know how she is. Just… Her comment made sense for a moment, when I remembered Even. I guess, now I just don’t know what to search or wait for anymore. I mean, if my senses are that off, I might as well just give up right about now.”

 

“My, my… This guy surely left some impression on you, huh? So, I’m guessing, his mark is set for the future?”

 

“No. It’s set for the past… and before you say anything, no there’s no chance that he’s seen me in 2017, because his family had already moved to New York at that point.”

 

Eskild clicked his tongue, “Well! That’s your answer then. Let me tell you something… It used to happen to me all the time… When we’re expecting to run into our soulmate, any given moment, we’re bound to read certain feelings the wrong way. To me, it sounds like there’s this tension between you guys. Probably got the hots for each other. He likes teasing you or whatever, and since his mark is set in the past, he probably feels bad about it, because he’s already seen his soulmate. I mean, they obviously haven’t matched, right? He still got the year on his wrist?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“My advice…Either sleep with him to get it out of your system, or just try to forget about him.  He’s not your soulmate, just some crush! Shouldn’t be too hard to get over him.”

 

Eskild’s words should make sense, really. And they did. Just… Isak had this nagging feeling in his chest. Ever since he had met Even, it was buried there, somewhat laughing at him. It simply didn’t feel like this was a matter of sexual tension that needed to be released. It certainly wasn’t a fucking crush. Isak knew what that felt like. He met hot guys all the time. Slept with them all the time.  Forgot about them every single time. With Even, he wasn’t even sure if the tension was sexual, at all. Okay, so maybe there was, but there was more to it. He made Isak feel things that he hadn’t felt before.  Things he could not put in any of the existing categories inside of his brain. He had thought that the feeling might be a matter of the soul, rather than the brain. A matter of cosmic energies. But he had been wrong about that.

 

“Isak? What is it?”, Eskild was eyeing him worriedly, tilting his head to the side.

 

Isak shook his head, coughing, before he brushed Eskild off “Yes. Yes, I’m fine. All good, just… Happy when this year is over, you know? The last eight and a half months have been fucking stressful and I don’t even know what I’m looking for, anymore.”

 

“Now, now - little buddy! It’s not your job to look for anything, remember? Just let the energies do their work and you’ll know, when you see him. Trust me, you’ll just know.”

 

Isak nodded, thankful for the encouraging words. “You’re right, guru. Thanks”, Isak winked at Eskild, before changing the topic, “Sooo, what’s it been like - managing your very own club?”

 

\---

 

Eva and Vilde had decided to host a little get together in the flat that they shared. 'A small high school reunion’, Vilde had chirped, when she practically called him 2 hours, before his alarm would have gone off.

 

Isak was already buried in assignments, although the first official week was only half way through.

His three flat mates, who naturally were invited to the gathering as well, practically dragged him from his desk that evening, which was how Isak found himself sitting on the girl’s living room floor with a cool beer in his hand thirty minutes later.

 

Isak had to admit, it was nice seeing some of the girls again. He barely got to see Sana anymore, because she always seemed to be drowning in work, being the ambitious med student that she was. Chris Berg had been accepted to the National academy of the arts, taking performing arts classes. Her and Eva still hung out on the regular, being on the same campus, but Isak hadn’t seen her in forever.

 

2 hours later, Jonas, Mahdi and Magnus had ditched him to meet up with some dude, called Anders, who was hosting a FIFA tournament. Isak wasn’t really in the mood to socialize with new people and got off easily, when he told the guys that him staying at the girls’ place, would probably make them less pissed.  Especially Eva, who was definitely not going to look at Jonas for the rest of the week.

 

Sana was currently occupied, texting her boyfriend. Or at least, that’s who Isak guessed she was texting, if the soft expression lingering on her face was any indication. “Sanasol, stop texting Yousef, he gets to talk to you all the time!”, Isak whined looking up at Sana from his spot on the floor.

 

Sana slowly raised her eyes from the phone, fixing Isak with an unimpressed stare, “And?”

 

“I never see you”, Isak pouted. It seemed to work because, next thing, Sana put the phone back on the table and sat down on the couch behind Isak. She released an insufferable sigh and started combing her fingers through Isak’s hair. Isak closed his eyes briefly and smiled appreciatively. When he reopened them, he did so, because there was a weird tingling sensation in his chest. His eyes were met with long, long legs, covered in Bordeaux red designer pants, and shiny dark brown sneakers, hovering by the door.

He didn’t need to look up, to know who had joined them. Not to his own surprise, he did so regardless, finding Even standing there in a shirt that could not have been hugging his chest any tighter.

 

The man's blue eyes were momentarily halting on Sana’s fingers, which were still tangled in Isak’s hair, before he disappeared into the kitchen.

 

Only seconds later, Isak heard Vilde excitedly squealing, shouting “Even, you made it”, followed by a deep, warm laugh from the man, which made Isak’s insides flutter.

 

Isak took a deep breath, deciding to take Eskild’s advice and just ignore Even, holding back all bitter thoughts of ‘he didn’t even go to our school, what is he doing here.’

 

“So, when are you gonna invite me back to your mom’s place?” Isak addressed Sana, who was still brushing her fingers through his hair. If he hadn’t known any better, he would almost have thought that Sana was trying to calm him down.

“I’ve been craving some chicken tagine, lately”, Isak tried for a playful tone in his voice, not wanting it to be too obvious, how desperate he really was for some Mama Bakkoush food.

 

“When my mom gets over the trauma she’s suffering from, ever since you agreed to help her with the tea and started filling the mugs with tap water.” Sana said in a deadpan voice.

 

There was a snort and when Isak jerked his head back up and momentarily hissed - because it forced Sana to almost rip his hair out - he was met with an amused looking Even.

 

“Issy, what the fuck.” Sana mumbled, taking her hands out of his hair. Isak however, was too busy glaring at Even, as he headed in Isak’s direction. Even’s legs came to a stop right in front of Isak, his upper body leaning down.

 

Isak twisted around and found Even kissing Sana’s cheek, mumbling, “Hey, girl. I’ve missed you”, which Sana acknowledged with a beaming smile, her eyes glinting.

 

Huh.

 

After a second, Isak noticed Even’s legs still hovering in front of him. He looked up and was met with a smirking Even, “Issy”, the boy nodded in greeting, as he repeated the nickname Sana had just adressed him with. Isak threw him a fake smile, before turning around and fixating Sana with a glare. He hoped she read it as ‘thanks for the betrayal’, but Sana just smiled at him knowingly and squeezed his shoulder once.

 

Isak didn’t understand.

 

“The tea thing… was year ago. My grandma has taught me since” Isak said quietly, trying to make the whole situation seem a little less embarrassing.

 

Sana thankfully decided it was enough with the teasing, when she hummed “You know you’re always welcome in our home, best bud.”

 

Isak laid his head back, beaming up at her.

 

Chris, however didn’t seem to know how to let it go, “cheers to the tap-water-tea though, Isak”, she laughed, extending her drink towards him. Isak thought, to the hell with it, and accepted the toast, clinking their bottles together.

 

“What a legend”, she declared.

 

Noora, Eva and Vilde came back from the kitchen, Vilde squeezing herself between Even and the cushion on the armchair, he had sat down on.

 

Even happily made room for her, his eyes longingly flitting over the plate filled with Nacho’s and cheese, the trio had prepared, “looks delicious, ladies”, he beamed, receiving a smile and blushed cheeks from Vilde.

 

 “Thanks! Alright dig in everybody!”

 

Isak was surprised to say the least. It was neither a pleasant, nor an unpleasant surprise. It was a surprise, and just that. The evening gave him a completely new insight into who Even was. The blue-eyed man got along effortlessly with all of the girls. Exchanging private smiles with Sana and cuddling Vilde every now and then. Noora seemed to be making plans for her and Even to open some kind of hipster breakfast café. He cracked jokes with Eva and Chris and chatted to them about school, impressed that the two girls had made it into KHiO. Isak thought, that if Even wanted to, he could surely get his dad to pull some strings for him to be accepted by the school as well. He bit his tongue, not really in the mood to provoke the guy and make an ass of himself in front of the girls.

 

None of that changed the inevitable reality of Even behaving differently, when it came to Isak. He was not being rude per se, but he seemed disturbingly guarded, whenever Isak so much as breathed in his direction.

 

Vilde asked Isak how _‘the search_ _’_ was going and Isak ended up telling them the story about his run-in with a very persistent girl called Lise.

 

“Yeah, so... even when I told her for like the fifth time that I’m gay, she wouldn’t let it go…”, Isak ranted, rolling his eyes. It caused the girls to laugh and snicker, but Even was left with a neutral expression on his face, inspecting the last Nacho chip left on his plate.

 

“So, eventually I just gave in and went to the freaking institute with her.  Obviously wasn’t a match, but even after that, she kept persisting that she felt something between us!”, Isak finished the story falling back until his back hit the couch.

Chris caught his attention, licking around her spoon and eyeing him up and down in the process, “can’t blame her, I mean high school- me can relate”, she winked at him. Isak erupted into laughter, feeling his cheeks heating up simultaneously.

 

Within the next few minutes, he started to feel himself getting more and more anxious, though. He was confused by the frequent low-key looks that Even kept throwing him, without ever actually addressing him. The looks weren’t low-key in Isak’s book though, because he felt every single one of them burn holes through his skin. Isak was about to make an exit, when he noticed the pouring rain outside. There was no way that he was cycling his way home in this weather. But, he really needed a break.

 

“I’ll get some fresh air”, Isak motioned to the balcony, interrupting Eva’s rant about how Jonas was getting too comfortable with the relationship, explaining that being her soulmate didn’t give him the right to put less effort into her than in the beginning of the relationship.

 

“I’ll join you!”, Even pulled out a joint from the front pocket of his shirt, wiggle waggling his eyebrows at Isak.

 

Here was the thing. Isak was specifically trying to get a break from the other man…Then again, a joint may have been just what he needed to ease the tension inside of his body, so he gave Even a curt nod and started to head towards the balcony. Before turning around, however, he noticed Vilde whispering something in Even’s ear, a scolding look on her face. Isak wondered, what that was about, since he remembered Vilde occasionally smoking with him in high school, when they had honest conversations about how shitty things were at home.

 

“Rough patch with Eva and…Jonathan?”, Even’s voice mingled with the sound of rain splattering on top of the roof over them. Isak turned around and leaned his elbows on the railing, considering Even with a calm look, “It’s Jonas.”, he said, restraining himself from clenching his jaw. He didn’t think he was doing a good job, considering Even’s wary eyes.

 

“They’ll be alright. They love each other. I think bickering like… gets them going.”, Isak offered, trying to ease the tension - which had creeped its way between them, yet again.

 

Everything about Even’s posture - the way he held himself, even the way he dressed, screamed confidence. However, the look in his eyes was comparable to that of a deer caught in the headlights. A deer with very intense ocean blue eyes. Isak didn’t understand why Even kept seeking his company, when all it seemed to do for him, was making him feel uncomfortable. It wasn’t like they had any sort of obligation towards each other.

"No offense, but... I was trying to get some space and I honestly don’t know what you’re trying to get out of this.”, Isak interrupted the silence between them with the truth. “Especially, since you know… 'we don't even like each other'", Isak mimicked Even's words from the night of the park festival.

Even's lips twitched, as if he was keeping himself from smiling.

 

Next thing, he reached across the balcony chair, to get a pink lighter from the table and lightened the joint in his hand, bringing it between his parted lips, without taking his eyes off Isak’s face.

 

Isak could not quite drag his eyes away from Even’s very plush lips when he exhaled the smoke back into the rainy night sky. The boy slowly made his way towards Isak, leaning against the railing right next to him. His right hand was braced on the railing, while his left one offered Isak the joint. Isak carefully took it between his fingers and inhaled the smoke letting it linger a little, before releasing it.  He was thankful for the calm feeling that started to slowly spread in his body, with each hit.

 

Not quite sure how to start a conversation, or whether he even wanted the silence between them to end, Isak glanced at Even, searching the side of the man’s face.  Even did not look at him and just accepted the joint back from Isak’s fingers, before continuing to smoke in quietly.

 

After a while, Even turned around to face Isak, then exhaled the smoke, looking up at the ceiling to avoid blowing it in his face. Isak was momentarily overwhelmed with the boy’s stretched out, pale neck, right in front of his face, and the smell of some sort of fabric softener, mixed with weed, rain, and something so exceptionally unique, Isak felt momentarily paralyzed. Isak had never regretted smoking as much as in that moment.

 

When Even finally spoke, he had taken a step back, looking straight at Isak, nonetheless.

 

“I think you and I", his voice was even lower and slower than usual and there was a pause, as Even tapped his fingers on the railing, "we should try to be friends.”

Isak couldn’t help himself. He burst out laughing, then immediately regretted it, when he noticed something that looked awfully similar to hurt, flashing over Even’s features. Luckily, it only lasted for the fraction of a second, before vanishing completely.

"I'm sorry, but...”, Isak shook his head, trying to find the right words, “you can't blame me for finding that… kind of shady, to say the least."

They were staring each other down, both of them one arm braced on the railing, passing the joint back and forth every now and then. Once there was nothing left to smoke, Even put out the butt in the ashtray on the table, before moving back, placing himself in front of Isak.

"You think it's shady of me to ask for friendship, when you thought we were soulmates, just a few days ago?”, Even dared to ask with an amused expression on his face.

 

The thing was, he had a point. Maybe, Even just needed time in terms of warming up to people. He did seem to get along well enough with the girls and people always seemed to be in awe, talking about the guy, every chance they got. Maybe, there was more to it, than the fact that Even was popular because of his good looks and his money.

"Fair enough.”, Isak shrugged.

 

He eyed Even carefully and added, “for starters… If you want to be my friend, you should laugh at my funny anecdotes, instead of playing around with a freaking Nacho."

Even released a surprised huff, his eyes traveling away from Isak’s face to fixate on a point in the distance, "well, I don't think it’s all that funny when some girl forces you to go to the institute with her, just because she doesn’t understand the concept of boundaries. Or sexuality, for that matter.”

Isak was startled and momentarily distracted by how dark Evens eyes looked in the dim light. Even rubbed a hand over his own chest, his cheekbones looking extra sharp in the moonlight.

 

Isak cleared his voice, "I mean, that's... -"

 

The door was shoved open, Eva standing right there, glaring at Isak.

 

“Hey, boys, you’ve been out here smoking for ages!", she tried for a light tone and failed miserably. "Isak, you know I hate marihuana. Why don't you join us for cards of humanity?”, with that, she threw an apologetic smile at Even and vanished back into the apartment.

 

“Did she just… yell at me for the weed that YOU brought and literally showed off in front of everybody in there?!”, Isak exclaimed, gaping at Even.

 

“Did she just call it… ‘marihuana’?”, Even whispered with a hand on his chest in a mock offended gesture.

 

Isak’s body started shaking with the laugh that was involuntarily escaping his lips. Maybe being friends with Even would be worth a shot, after all.

 

 

 

\---

 

When his phone rang the next morning and Isak saw his dad’s contact lighten up the screen, he expected about everything, but not what he was about hear.

 

“Isak, your mother…she-”, his dad paused, causing Isak to fall down onto his bed, hand gripping the covers tightly.

 

“Is she okay? Dad?”

 

“No, yeah she’s good. Great.” There was another pause, before… “Isak, she has met her soulmate.”, his dad’s voice sounded shaky through the phone.

 

Isak’s mind went blank. Whenever he had brought up his parents unmatched marks, his dad would tell him to mind his own business. His mother on the other hand, would reaveal little things on good days. She would say something along the lines of ‘Me and your dad, we’re meant to be together, for now! We were meant to have you, baby’. On bad days, she would fall to her knees and rant over and over again, that she was sorry for her sins, begging “god”, who she thought had brought the energies upon them, to forgive her sins of betraying her soulmate.

 

It wasn’t unusual for people to build families with somebody other than their soulmate. Sure, sadly there were still countries where people were imprisoned for it - but for the most part - it was simply suggested by the government to wait for one’s soulmate to build a family. However, some people understandingly did not want to wait until their mid-50’s to have a shot at a ‘happy life’. Other’s just didn’t feel a romantic kind of love connection to their ‘other half’, so they remained close friends, and fell in love with somebody else. Isak knew all of that, but it did not keep his stomach from aching or his skin from growing colder by the second.

 

He would lose his mother for good, this time.

 

“Isak?”

 

“Yeah?” Isak shook himself out of it, “Yeah. Are you okay, dad?”

 

“She deserves to be happy, Isak.”, his father’s words didn’t really sound like he believed them himself. He had never been the most understanding husband, when it came to Marianne’s illness, but he loved her and he had never stopped trying to keep their family together. Isak knew that.

 

“She does.”, Isak answered, not really recognizing his own voice.

 

“She’s so confused at the moment, you know?”

 

“I understand”, Isak whispered, knowing that, his father using the word ‘confused’, simply sugarcoated the fact that she probably wouldn’t ever want to see Isak again. She would be too ashamed of her ‘sin’, now that she was graced with ‘god’s mercy’ as she called it.

 

As if his father could read his thoughts, he spoke, “she loves you so much, son. We both do. Nothing will ever come between the love she has for you. Avir, her… her soulmate, he’s a good man. He’ll be happy to meet you one day, I’m sure.”

 

“Okay, papa. Thank you.”

 

Isak didn’t think that Avir was going to be the problem.

 

“Take care of yourself, Isak.”

 

“Goodbye, dad. And I- I love you too.”, Isak sniffed, an overwhelming amount of sadness overcoming his body.

 

 “Son, I prom-”

 

Isak hung up the phone.

 

\---

 

He had sat on his bed, crying for what felt like hours, when Jonas found him. His friend did not ask any questions, just holding Isak for a while and letting him cry until he couldn’t anymore. Isak had often feared the many ways, in which he would finally lose his mother. This alternative had never once, crossed his mind, making the harsh reality all the more painful.

 

 Later that night, he retold what his dad had revealed, to Jonas. His best friend comforted him with another tight hug, uttering - “Marianne will come around, Isak. She always does”.

 

When he could not fall asleep that night, he felt strangely empty, the waning crescent moon barely doing the job of keeping him grounded.

 

The sound of his vibrating phone startled him out of his restless thoughts. There were three notifications on his phone.

 

**01:23**

**Unknown number**

**Unknown number**

I promise to laugh at your next anecdote,

You promise not to question how I got ur number ;)

 

Sleep tight, Isak.

 

____________

 

 

Little did Even know – his message just added one more reason to the list of things that kept Isak from _‘sleeping tight_ _’_ that night.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, as always, and although this really isn't my favorite chapter, I still hope some of you could enjoy it <33
> 
> I've already written chapter 4 and am actually happy with it, so theres that.  
> If I keep up with the writing at this pace, the Saturday updates should stay a done deal - at least for a while.
> 
> Enjoy the rest of the weekend, everybody :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Political stuff and first party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooo :D 
> 
> Thanks so much for the nice comments last chapter and the kudos I've received!
> 
> The whole frat/sorority thing is probably not a very Norwegian thing, and I hope it's not too off-putting that this probably not the most cultured story, haha!
> 
> I'm currently studying in the Netherlands, so a lot in terms of parties and university matters is based on that. Well, that and the countles American movies and TV shows I've watched over the years, hehe :)

Taking a deep breath and pulling his track jacket tighter around his shoulders, Isak watched images rushing past him and blurring together, through the tram window. He felt at ease just listening to music through his headphones, not many people surrounding him on the tram on a Saturday morning. He was about to change the song, when he noticed a new notification on his phone screen.

 

 

 

**Vilde H.**

**7:05**

**Vilde H.**

Hey Isak, did you catch the tram?

 

**Isak**

Made it *peace sign emoji*

 

**Vilde H.**

Would you mind coming up for a cup of coffee before we get going?

 

I have a little situation going on..

 

You could also get a head start and I’ll join you in a bit,

 

Sorry Isak!

 

\---

 

Isak stared down at his phone, feeling just a tiny bit irritated. Vilde was the one who had proposed for them to start their gym session ‘a little bit’ earlier today, because, ‘I _sak, they have new treadmills and if we want to get two that are beside each other, we have to be there early!_ _’_.

 

Isak had tried to argue that a lot of people worked out in the morning as well , to which Vilde just countered that it was a Saturday. Vilde knew that Isak didn’t like working out alone, so there really was no choice here.

 

Isak sighed, brushed off his annoyance with the promise of coffee, and started typing –  

 

 

**Isak**

That coffee better be ready when I get there.

 

\---

 

Sitting down at the kitchen table, Isak started out by warming up his hands with the hot cup of French press coffee. “So, what’s your excuse for having me get up at 6:30 in the morning… for nothing, Vilde.”, Isak grumbled, and he had not yet had his first sip of coffee, okay – so he couldn’t be blamed for asking.

 

Vilde at least managed to look slightly guilty, when she muttered, “I couldn’t find my new workout leggings.”

 

Isak just gaped at her, hoping the look on his face conveyed, how utterly ridiculous that sounded to him. Apparently, his face did the job.

 

“Isak, I know you don’t get it, you’re track jacket and shorts are mismatched and the color of your hairband makes it seem like you’re being distasteful on purpose.”, she informed him, unapologetically.

 

“I couldn’t find a different hairband. And unlike you, that didn’t keep me from rushing to the tram stop this morning, because I didn’t want you to have to wait for me.”

 

Isak wasn’t even that irritated anymore. The coffee was slowly running through his body, making him feel cozy and boosting his energy.

 

“Sorry.”, Vilde mumbled quietly, lowering her head.

 

“Don’t worry.”, Isak smiled at her reassuringly, his eyes falling to her pink and purple checkered Adidas pants. “I guess, it was worth the delay, you’re killing it in those leggings.”

 

At this, Vilde beamed, “Thank you, Isak. That’s so nice of you to say.”

 

\--

 

_When Isak had first met Vilde, he would have never been able to see himself befriending the girl. She had been too chirpy for his liking. He often caught himself thinking of the girl as fake, wondering what Eva and Sana saw in her, since she seemed more compatible with Sarah and her crowd._

_Between Magnus making vague comments every now and then about how they should be easy on Vilde, because she didn_ _’t have it easy and Isak noticing that the girl always hosted parties, but never at her own place, Isak took it upon himself to give her the benefit of the doubt._

_One night, at one of Eva_ _’s high school parties, the police had arrived and Isak had ran up to the bathroom near Eva_ _’s parent_ _’s room, where party guests were not allowed to go. Upon opening the door, he had been met with the sight of a crying Vilde sitting in the bathtub._

_After what had felt like minutes of silence, the girl had spoken up, almost whispering,_ _“Isak you_ _– you live with you grandmother, right?_ _”_

_Isak had decided to approach the situation carefully and maybe give the girl some of the comfort she clearly needed._

_They had talked for a long while after that, finding surprisingly many parallels between their family lives and getting things off their chest, most people just wouldn_ _’t be able to understand. They had realized that they had a lot more in common than the surface would lead anybody to believe._

\--

Vilde was his friend now, not necessarily best friend or anything verging on that, but they went to the gym together, had heart to hearts every now and then and shared a general protective nature when it came to the other.

 

“Any progress on the soulmate front?”, Vilde asked, sitting down with her own cup of coffee.

 

“Don’t really wanna talk about it… It’s not like I know what I’m doing anymore.”, Isak really didn’t want to talk, or think about it. He hated the thought of losing a whole year to anxiety and crushed hopes.

 

“Oh, yeah I get that.”, Vilde considered him with a debating look, nibbling on her lip for a few seconds, before giving in to whatever force was holding her back, “Isak – Eva, she said you had a feeling that Even could be your soulmate?”

 

Isak really shouldn’t be surprised about Eva telling Vilde. They were best friends, lived together and Vilde knew Even from before, after all. That didn’t mean, Isak wasn’t annoyed. He just wanted to forget about his intuition playing jokes on him and move on.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know he can’t be, I know. Trust me, I know, okay?”, Isak rushed out to say, trying to make sure, she’d get the message and just drop this.

 

She didn’t.

 

“Before you interrupt me or roll your eyes, can I just say something?”, Vilde fixed him with a look that told him, he should not test her right now, so he gestured with his hands for her to say what she had to say.

 

“Even, he’s… He’s a really good guy, you know. And I mean, there are things that I can’t tell you, but just give him some time? And before you ask me what you’re supposed to give him time for-”, wow she really did know Isak, “–I can’t tell you that. I don’t even know for sure, if I’m correct, but just be patient and don’t overwhelm him, okay?”

 

No – Not okay. But Isak kept quiet, forcing himself to bite back about three comments, he had in mind, before taking a breath and shrugging his shoulders, “Vilde, I’m sure, you’re trying to help or whatever, but – I honestly have no idea, what you’re trying to tell me here.”, Isak noted, before clapping his hands together, making Vilde flinch.

 

“You’re done with that?”, Isak pointed at Vilde’s cup and she nodded, a considering look on her face.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s get going.”, she paused, before smiling softly at Isak, “as Sana would say…  Let’s go bitches”, Vilde beamed, before throwing Isak’s duffle back at his chest and pulling him out of the apartment.

 

\---

 

After an exhausting two-hour work-out session with a power force called Vilde, Isak was having lunch on his bed, blasting Beyoncé, when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

 

 

**EBN**

**13:03**

**EBN**

Nice form!

_*attached picture of Isak squatting* _

 

**Isak**

Where did you get that.

 

**EBN**            

Vilde posted it on her blog :D

 

\----

 

 

 

Isak was going to kill her.

**EBN**

**13:10**

 

**EBN**

Hey so, you’re coming to Lillian’s party tonight, right?

 

**Isak**

Don’t know maybe… why?

                                                                                                                                      

**EBN**

Excuse me? After all the hard work, I put into her not hating you anymore?

**Isak**

Wrong. We actually just talked and turns out she’s cool.

Money won’t buy you everything, Even. Certainly not friendship.                     

                                                                                                                                    

\---

 

Objectively speaking, Isak knew that he should expect the reaction, seeing as he clearly offended Even with that last text, but he couldn’t help the annoyance it ignited within him, when he saw that his message had been read, but remained unanswered.

 

 

Without a second thought, he ran into the living room, startling the three boys in front of the TV with the force of his steps.

 

 

"So, who’s up for some foam party action, tonight?”

 

 

From the look, that Magnus gave him in that moment – Isak was definitely some sort of angel in his friend’s eyes.

 

 

He received positive answers from Mahdi and Magnus and a shoulder shrug accompanied by a muttered ‘sure let’s check it out’ from Jonas for which Isak gave them a thumbs-up and strolled back into his room.

 

 

Plopping down on the matrass, Isak was not even given the chance to start thinking about his mother. Or his unfinished paper. Or Even Bech Næsheim – because there was knock on his door within minutes.

 

 

“What.”

 

 

The door opened and an unapologetic looking Jonas made himself right at home, jumping onto the bed and landing right next to Isak.

 

 

Isak rolled his eyes and made more room for his friend until they were both leaning against the pillows at the end of his bed. When they turned towards each other, Jonas’ eyes were roaming over his face for a few seconds.

 

 

“What’s up with you moping in your room all day, Iss?”

 

 

 

“I’m not moping. I’m tired. Vilde kicked my ass at the gym today”

 

 

 

Jonas hummed, before hesitantly asking, “okay… Have you heard–”,

 

 

 

And, no – “I don’t want to talk about it, Jonas”, Isak interrupted the boy, knowing all too well that this conversation was headed towards abandoning mothers, who he in fact had not heard from.

 

 

“Okay, sure. We don’t have to… Just – you know I’m here, if you need to talk, right?”

 

 

Isak smiled thankfully, nodding, and Jonas sighed out in relief squeezing his shoulder once. “But, hey! I haven’t told you yet, cause I haven’t seen you all day–” Jonas said, his tone only slightly accusing. Isak wouldn’t even have been able to pick up on it, if he didn't know his friend so well.

 

 

“– remember how my dad was leading that investigation against the OQ fanatics?”

 

 ..

 

_OceanQuarz_ _– commonly known as OQ_ _– was a political party of radicals, who_ _’s anti socialist and conservative views were frowned upon in most parts of the world. They believed that there were certain people, who were more receptive of Energies than others, and that those were of more value and should therefore be in charge of The World State. Their main goal was to ban all romantic non-soulbond relationships, declaring that humankind needed to honor the wishes of The Creator of the Crystal Era, instead of polluting the world with impure relationships and the children that resulted from those relationships._

 

 

_Ever since, the tunnel had been discovered, all those years ago, a global government had been elected, to ensure world peace as intended by the force that had opened up an entire new world. The World State, however was only responsible for arranging and passing Energy related laws on top of being in charge of the tunnel and the construction work that was going on down there in order to open it up again. Other than that, countries mostly kept their established governments._

_The first president ever elected after The Emergence of the Tunnel, had created an array of new holidays to honor the new era, soon known as Crystal Era. The World Parliament had been built on an unoccupied Greek Island, right by the Hole in The Ocean. The High Security government facility held the original files and all of its secrets._

_Elections were coming up in a couple of months, and with it, reports of OQ fanatics rallying and protesting were polluting the international-news channel. Isak tried to ignore them as much as he could, the mere thought of what these radicals thought of the world, making him feel sick to his stomach._

 

_.._

 

 “Your dad’s leading an investigation against OQ fanatics? Here in Oslo?” Isak asked, squinting his eyes at Jonas.

 

  
“Yeah, didn’t I tell you?”

 

 

“No, but I can’t really be bothered with the whole OQ bullshit anyway.”

 

 

Jonas acknowledged him with a weary glance, probably remembering that Isak was an example of everything OQ resented, “Yeah, well – Some crazy shit has been happening, bro!”

 

 

Isak raised an eyebrow, wordlessly pushing Jonas to continue.

 

 

“There was this dude from Oslo – he’s some kid, still goes to high school. He was on a trip with his family, somewhere in the Southwest… There was this rock slip and this is where it gets crazy–” Jonas paused and Isak gave him an unimpressed look, not in the mood for his friends’ dramatics.

 

 

“– So, this couple from Denmark is pretty much doomed to be crushed by the rock and then all of a sudden – The fucking kid stops the rock mid-air. Rock combusts into dust. Tourists live happily ever after.”

 

 

Jonas leaned back, smugly waiting for Isak’s reaction. The look on Isak’s face must have satisfied him, because next thing, Jonas continued his story, “Okay, and that’s not all! This is where it gets really, really messed up – Apparently Adrian Rindahl – you know, leader of the Oslo OQ radicals – recruits the kid, because he thinks he’s some sort of ‘chosen one, with pure energies’ – The kid’s family obviously freaks out and my dad and the police department arrange this huge search for them. And this is where it gets scary, bro… They eventually find Adrian and his followers, including the kid. But the kid is completely fucking brainwashed! Wearing their vests, yelling their slogans, revolting against his parents, who are democrats…”

 

 

“That’s – okay, that’s fucked up. But how did Adrian Rindahl even know about the whole rock slip thing?”, Isak wondered, hugging his knees in anticipation.

 

 

“Well that’s the other part of the story – There was a video, you know… But it was only online for about ten minutes before it was taken down. And the scary part is, that it was already going viral, and there were so many versions on YouTube, but the government banned the video and there is literally no public copy left of it. They even banned it from being talked about on the news. Fucking OQ obviously didn’t miss something like that though, and they must have instructed Rindahl to deal with it.”

 

 

Isak, quite frankly didn’t know what to say. Those sorts of stories never failed to give him goosebumps.

 

 

“So, now my dad’s leading an investigation against Rindahl, but there's something else.. Something everyone’s been talking about. Apparently Rindahl and OQ leaders all over the world are planning some kind of heist! The news reported about this break-in into the matching institute in Ottawa, Canada last week. And then there were rumors about the same thing happening in London,  but apparently they’re covering it up. The whole government is on high alert and my dad has been trying to find any kind of evidence of Rindahl planning the same thing in Oslo, but he hasn’t found anything, yet.”

 

 

“He told you all of that?” Isak gaped, aware that all of this must have been highly confidential information.

 

 

“I may have overheard a conversation or two, he had on the phone,” Jonas admitted, not looking sorry whatsoever. “It’s our right to know what’s going on in the world, Iss! The news only gives us brief information about some heists in Ottawa that the government has already stopped, to make sure that we remember who the bad guys are. Don’t you think we deserve to know, what’s going on in our own fucking city as well? I don’t want to be walking around at night and run into OQ shitheads, if they’re going off the rails like that.”

 

 

And, no that was something Isak definitely didn’t want to encounter. OQ had always made him feel anxious, considering that his parents were not soulmates and he was therefore seen as ‘impure’ by the radical party. That being said, it had never been something he genuinely had to worry about. The party was small and they only ever got attention, because their views were extreme and radical. The majority resented them and Isak didn’t feel like he had to hide who he was, because OQ normally stayed under the radar. However, with everything that Jonas had just told him, it seemed that OQ was planning something big, surfacing from their hideout.

 

 

Isak sighed, telling himself to keep the paranoia at bay. He gave Jonas a small smile, patted his shoulder and joked, “Alright, enough about politics and conspiracy theories, let’s focus on getting drunk tonight, before OQ takes over the world and bans alcohol, because it pollutes the Energies or something.”

 

 

Jonas burst out laughing, nearly falling out of the bed. “Alright, you got onemore hour left of moping around and then we’re outta here! Fuck what do you even wear to a foam party? Like do I need to get a pair of rainboots?”

 

 

The mere thought of Jonas in rainboots sent Isak into a fit of laughter, pushing thoughts of OQ and all the other shit in his life into the very back of his head.m

 

 

 ---

 

 

The patio of the house was crowded with people and Isak shivered slightly at the sight of drenched shoes, clothes and hair. So, maybe these people were already too intoxicated to feel the chilled air, but that wasn’t going to prevent them from getting sick within the next couple of days. Isak made a mental note to himself to not follow in their footsteps and keep a dry jacket with him, for when they would head home. The dull sound of a bass was making its way past the walls of the green house with the tall standing, pink painted door. A white sign, reading _‘Delta Zeta_ _’_ , with a pink heart between the two Greek words, was plastered above the door. There was a slight smell of weed in the air, mingled with the autumn breeze, which contained chilled air, leaves, and fogginess.

 

 

“Isak, I have…I mean, we have to thank you again, Bro this was on my bucket list. A fucking foam party thrown by the most badass sorority on campus!” Magnus was in a state of, as he himself called it, ‘pure buzz, bro’. His cheeks were already flushed and his bouncing legs indicated that he was already way too excited for his own good.

 

 

“Calm down, Mags, we still have to get in.” Isak tried to calm his friend down, placing a hand on his shoulder and eyeing Mahdi and Jonas – who luckily were still mostly sober – with a summoning look.

 

 

“Yea, bro! Hey, you don’t want this night to end here and now, right? Let’s take it down a notch and focus on getting in!” Jonas proposed, calm as ever, raising an eyebrow at Mahdi, who took the hint to join the ‘let’s cool down Magnus Mission’.

 

 

“They’re right, Magnus. Look over there -”, Mahdi pointed towards the front yard, “All we gotta do, is get a wrist band from that girl and then we’re good to go, alright?”

 

 

Magnus’ mouth transformed into a slow grin and then he yelled “Got it.”, clearly not getting it at all.

 

 

Hopeless.

 

 

Isak knew he could charm people easily, if the situation called for it and he had been invited by Lillian after all, but Magnus being Magnus, was definitely complicating things. It wasn’t like people inside wouldn’t get drunk or high out of their minds anyway, but showing up, looking sloppy and incapable of holding one’s liquor, wasn’t going to make a good impression. As far as he could tell from his encounters with Lillian, the girl surely didn’t want to get negative attention out of this party.

 

 

Isak took the lead, his boys following close behind and they took a stop in front of the punk version of Snow White, holding a clipboard in her hands.

 

 

“Names?”, she requested in a composed voice.

 

 

“Isak -”, he smiled, before realizing that there were probably at least two other Isak’s invited to the party, it being a common name, “Isak Valtersen.”

 

 

The girl started flipping through the papers on the clipboard and came to a halt on one of the last pages. “Found you. You brought a plus one?”

 

 

“Uhm – Actually, I brought a plus three?”, Isak tried in a smooth voice, giving her a smile, which he hoped was perceived as charming enough to give him a free pass.

 

 

“No.”, the girl stated, not a single muscle on her face twitching.

 

 

Isak was about to ask for Lillian, or to come up with some sort of other plan, when he felt a sudden alertness spreading from his chest to his head. Before he even had the time to question it, there was a low, but familiar voice filling up their space.

 

 

“Isak.”, Isak looked up, being met with blue eyes that were slightly red around the iris. They focused on him in consideration, first moving over his face, then moving down his body. Isak eyed him up and down in return.

 

 

Even was completely soaked in water, strings of wet hair hanging in his face and foam slowly vanishing on his eyebrows. He was wearing a tight black t-shirt, dark grey jeans and shiny black rain boots, which looked more expensive than all of Isak’s course books together. Isak would never laugh at the thought of grown men wearing rain boots, ever again.

 

 

When he focused back on Even’s face, he was met with a sore expression. Oh boy.

 

 

“You know them?”, the girl addressed Even, a mildly startled look on her face.

 

 

Even’s eyes flitted over the girl’s face slowly and he nodded, “Yeah. I do, but more importantly, Lillian does, and… it’s her party. Wouldn’t want anyone to think, I’m trying to buy them in or something.”, with that Even threw one more passive aggressive smile in Isak’s direction and muttered “have fun”, before turning around and walking away, the door closing behind him.

 

 

Isak’s natural reaction would always be a scoff of annoyance, but without much control, he felt a wave of guilt overcoming his senses, momentarily overwhelming him and making him feel annoyed for a whole other reason. The feeling died down slowly and Isak realized that the girl had started some sort of rehearsed speech.

 

 

“– and you can get your wristband in the entrance. You’ll also receive plastic bags for your phones, but you can leave stuff in the wardrobe upstairs, as well. Beware that the floors are wet in there, so don’t do something stupid that breaks your neck, please.”, the last part was specifically directed at Magnus.

 

 

Isak definitely didn’t usually do frat or sorority parties, simply, because – first of all, Jonas always has had way too much of an influence on him, but that was okay, because he was Isak’s best friend after all – and secondly, the people who threw them always tended to be overly religious about their guest lists and Isak was not particularly fond of being a loner at a party with an army of assholes surrounding him – But this? This seemed promising.

 

 

“Is that a cotton candy machine???”, Magnus almost shrieked, grapping Isak’s arm tightly. Way to tight. Isak winced, glaring at Magnus and shaking his friend’s hand off.

 

 

Right, so a party with a cotton-candy machine, a long-ass bar on the main floor, unicorn balloons floating around and obviously, a foam machine on the ceiling, may or may not be something, Isak didn’t know he was missing in his life.

 

 

“Dude… why in the world do we even bother with bringing him to parties, anymore?”, Jonas practically yelled into Isak’s ear, his gaze turning to Isak’s right.

 

 

Isak turned around and – regretted it immediately. Magnus emerged from the stream of foam that was just coming down, snorting out foam and squeezing his eyes together, before he ripped of a piece of the – now drenched – cotton-candy and put it in his mouth. Mahdi slapped it out of his hands immediately yelling something in Magnus’ ear, but the latter just looked up and whooped so loud, Isak and Jonas could hear him over the music, even from where they were standing.

 

 

“I mean… I’m pretty sure that eating cotton-candy, drenched in soap is poisonous, so…”, Isak raised his eyebrows at Jonas, “may not have to worry about him coming along for much longer.”

 

 

“Bro! Don’t say that!”, Jonas laughed swatting at Isak’s shoulder. Isak chuckled in return.

 

 

The both of them made their way over to the bar, being pleasantly surprised to receive a stamp card, which granted them five free drinks, each.

 

 

Having finished two bottles of beer, Isak felt loose enough to give the dance floor a chance. The boys always joked about how Isak had turned into some dance machine over his gap year. The truth was that Eduardo had given him the gift of teaching him some moves that were easy to pull off, yet made people cheer him on when he took over the dance floor.

 

 

Some DMX song started to play and Isak immediately felt the adrenalin rush, so he dragged Jonas into the dancing area, almost squealing when his shoes were immediately drowned in foam, water soaking through his socks.

 

 

Jonas was staring at him in a way that would probably have Isak drop dead if looks could kill. Isak’s hand was still around Jonas wrist, and his friend looked down onto his jeans which had water splashed on them, before looking back up at Isak.

 

 

Isak just shrugged and started to shout with the music _‘Stop, drop, shut_ _’em down, open up shop_ _– OH NO_ _’,_ jumping up and down with the rest of the crowd.

 

 

It wasn’t long until Jonas was dragged off the dance floor by a girl with wild curls and determined eyes. Isak only judged his friend for ditching him for about two minutes, because apparently Isak being left by himself didn’t go unnoticed. A guy with piercing brown eyes and a buzzcut had laid a hand on Isak’s hip, eyes questioning and lips smirking. Isak smiled in return and nodded, before loosely laying his wrists on the guys broad shoulders and starting to move to _Can_ _’t Feel My Face by The Weeknd._

 

 

There was something making Isak feel alert and dizzy at the same time. The feeling almost pushed him to let go of the guy, but then he was being pulled closer to the foam machine, causing them to momentarily drown in foam when the next stream was released. It should have suffocated Isak, but instead he felt the heavy feeling from before disappearing slightly.

 

 

When his dance partner grabbed his hips tightly and pulled him back towards the side of the dancefloor, Isak was hit with another wave of sparks inside of his body, rather stabbing him than prickling. For a second, he seriously questioned, whether there were some kind of intoxicating substances in the foam – taking in his completely drenched clothes – but then he gasped in realization, his head going 100 kilometers per hours –

 

 

He put some space between himself and the guy, not letting go of his shoulders. The man just looked at him, dazed eyes dropping to Isak’s lips and Isak – he wanted to believe that this was it. There was this intense feeling, and he felt like he knew something, and everybody kept telling him _‘you_ _’ll just know, Isak_ _’_. But it didn’t feel like a sure thing, when he stared at the guy, who’s hand was now dropping to his ass, trying to pull Isak back in. Isak took the guy’s right hand off his butt, and glanced at his wrist, frustratingly realizing that his mark was covered up by the wrist band everybody got upon arriving at the party.

 

 

The guy took the opportunity to twirl Isak around on his hand, pressing himself against Isak’s back. And just when Isak was about to close his eyes to feel the moment and lose himself in the music, he could swear that everything around him slowed down –

 

 

Blue eyes were simultaneously pinning him against the guy’s chest and pulling him off it. Some remix of _‘Shout_ _’_ had started to blast through the house, but Isak could only hear it distantly. More like a memory than a moment he was currently living. So he kept swaying his body to the beat, the guy’s chest against his back, as he felt himself being transfixed by Even’s unwavering gaze.

 

 

When the buzz in Isak’s chest started to lose its pressure, because it started to spread through his whole body, he absently noticed the lips that were repeatedly attaching themselves to his neck, sensing the impact without really feeling it. He also noticed, how there were delicate hands placed on Even’s swaying hips, from behind. The girl, who had earlier guarded the door, suddenly placed herself in front of Even in a swift move and started slowly dropping down in front of him, hands on his chest.

 

 

Isak grabbed the arms that were wrapped around his chest tighter, eyes never leaving Even’s. The expression on his face was hard to read, but Isak had a feeling that the darkness in his eyes was only partly caused by the girl, who was now wrapping her arms around Even’s neck looking up at him. Even’s lips were glistening pink with the wetness that was surrounding the entire room and Isak shivered when he noticed those same lips part ever so slightly.

 

 

Even’s eyes drifted away from Isak’s, in slow-motion, until eventually settling on the girl’s face. The only thing left for Isak to drink in were long eyelashes fanning over damp cheeks, before the girl started to press her lips to Even’s, covering up most parts of his face.

 

 

Isak still felt it – the prickling – but it was more like the remains of carbonic acid that were left when someone opened a bottle of coke, after shaking it. He closed his eyes and found his way back into moving to the beat of the slow hip hop beat that had just started to play. The lips on his neck were gone, but every now and then, he would feel a breath tickling his ear that made him shiver, because of the water that was dripping from his hair onto his neck.

 

 

When he opened up his eyes, Isak turned around and brought his lips to the guy’s ear, feeling arms tighten around his back.

 

 

“I’ll be back, gotta find a friend real quick,” he said, his voice low, but hopefully loud enough to hear over the music.

 

 

\---

 

 

Isak didn’t really need to find a friend. Or maybe he did, because all he wanted, was to get his mind off Even, and watching Magnus making an idiot of himself, would probably do the job. Instead of going for that option, Isak decided to catch some fresh air. Once he was in the hallway – away from the crowd and the loudspeakers, now blasting Rihanna– he pulled out his phone from the plastic bag, checking the time.

 

He could try to catch the last tram, before being forced to stay here till the early morning. The thought vanished as quick as it came though, and he shook himself out of it, almost crushing the phone in his hand. No – he was going to catch some fresh air, then grab himself a few more drinks and dance himself into oblivion. Maybe he would actually get back to the guy, he had been dancing with and ask him for his number. Hell, at least ask him for his name. Deep down, Isak knew that it was probably a wasteful thing to do, because he knew that the man was not his soulmate. He didn’t have to see his mark for that and he didn’t need to know his name for that. If Isak tried to trick his mind into thinking every last guy, he danced with, flirted with or hooked up with, was his soulmate, he would probably live at the matching institute at this point.

 

 

But, no – it wasn’t the guy with the buzzcut and the brown eyes, who had made Isak feel things. Not at the party today, not a few weeks ago in the auditorium, not on campus – and not on Eva’s balcony.

 

 

That had always been Even. But Isak couldn’t think about that. Didn’t want to. All he wanted, was for the universe to not complicate things for him. Just this once. Just in this one aspect of his life.

 

 

In a number of events, Isak stepped on the front porch one moment, and in the next one he heard a hoarse, but familiar voice say “Isak.” That in turn, made him stop abruptly and as if Isak hadn’t already gone through enough turmoil that night, he felt himself slipping, before coming down hard and greeting the floor. With his ass. In a puddle of water. There was a sting in his ankle.

 

 

Isak just sat there, contemplating what to think – say – do next. He carefully tried to press his foot against the floor, and was relieved to feel discomfort and soreness, but nothing more. Dancing and slippery floors were off the table, he knew that, but at least he hadn’t seriously hurt himself.

 

 

That being sorted, he suddenly realized that Even was crouching in front of him, hands on his shoulders, eyes on his face, mouth releasing words –

 

 

“– Isak. What's wrong? your foot?” his voice was calm, but his eyes were urging Isak to say something.

 

 

Instead of saying something, Isak tensed at the feeling of the warm hands on his soaking wet shoulders, which were shivering slightly with the rest of his body. The chilled breeze surrounding them did not help. “I’m so sorry, Isak. I didn’t mean to startle you like that.”, Even’s voice did sound sorry, but Isak avoided his gaze, now pointedly staring at the hand that had dropped from his shoulder to his thigh. And did Even dunk his hand in some lava before putting it there?

 

 

Isak shook off Even’s hold on him and attempted to get up, being careful to put the weight on his uninjured foot. Even didn’t step back – instead, he moved one arm around Isak’s waist, helping him to stand up and trying to support his weight.

 

 

“Shit, I’m so sorry! Are you okay,” a girl who was wearing a ‘ _Delta Zeta_ _’_ pin on her shirt, spoke as she placed a hand in front of her mouth, looking at Isak in shock. Just, when Isak was about to brush her off, Even’s voice startled him once again.

 

 

“You know, he could sue you for that, right? You can stand here all night passing out wristbands, but you can’t mop the floor every now and then?”

 

 

His face was not friendly. There was clear displeasure there. His voice also was not friendly. A harshness to it that didn’t sit right with Isak. Looking up at Even, he could make out how his eyebrows were narrowed and his jaw was set, the grip on Isak’s waist steady.

 

 

All Isak wanted to do was to either burn down from the touch of Even’s hand on his waist, or drown in the puddle he had just slipped on. He could physically feel his face heating up, eyeing the girl and seeing the mortified expression on her face.

 

 

Isak finally managed to free himself from Even’s hands on him and took a hold of the railing instead, “oh my god, I’m fine… No one’s suing anybody! Excuse him.”, he mumbled, making sure to glare at Even with as much conviction as possible.

 

 

At the very least, Even seemed to have some sense of decency left in his body, sighing and grumbling “I mean, I’m just saying… You could’ve just – you know, put up a caution sign or something.”

 

 

The girl was obviously trying very hard to bite back a comment and Isak felt himself rooting for her to just say whatever was lying on the tip of her tongue to put Even in his place but that hope was lost, when she just nodded curtly and threw one last apologetic look in Isak’s direction.

 

 

\---

 

 

They had finally put some distance between themselves and the house and Isak was sitting on a wall near the parking lot. He tried to get reception to call a damn taxi that would get him outta there, so that he could keep on living his life as if tonight had never happened.

 

 

Even had insisted on helping Isak to get down the stairs, then proceeded to follow him all the way to the wall, Isak was currently occupying, and then he simply hadn’t left.

 

 

“The fuck was that, Even?”

 

 

Even – being the insufferable force, he decided to be tonight – ignored Isak’s question and simply let him know, “I’ll drive you home”

 

 

“Who says, I’m going home? Now if you don’t mind, I kind of don’t want to see you for the rest of the night.”

 

 

“I hate to break it to you, but…”, Even cocked his head to the side, looking as though he genuinely did hate to say what he was about to say, before his lip twitched slightly in amusement, “I feel like this is it for you, tonight.”

 

 

Isak got up slowly, noticing how Even immediately gravitated towards him, hand stopping mid-air on its way to Isak’s waist and slowly falling down to his side. Isak really should not be – but he almost found himself proud of Even for seemingly accepting his boundaries.

 

 

“I’m actually just going to call a taxi, so it’s fine. But, thanks for offering, I guess.”

 

 

“I’ll drive you.” There was a finality to the way that Even stated those words, that made Isak’s left eye twitch. So much for boundaries.

 

 

“Uhm…  I won’t get in a car with you, Even. You’ve been drinking.”, he paused, “For the record, you shouldn’t get behind the wheel tonight, at all. I’m sure you can afford a taxi or like for once in your life take the tram.”, Isak smirked, then – not being able to stop himself, he added “Nevermind, you probably have your very own chauffeur.”

 

 

Even had put himself right in front of Isak, patiently listening to his every word. “I wasn't drinking."

 

 

“Your eyes are red”

 

 

“Oh, really?”, Even rubbed a finger against his eyes, making the corners even more red, “I mean I did get foam in them earlier and they were burning, so – I guess I just have sensitive eyes,” he explained, before taking a breath and continuing, “thanks for being so concerned about my well-being, though.” Isak rolled his eyes.

 

 

“Right, and… chauffeur is only for like… important events.”

 

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me”

 

 

“Yeah, also… ‘take the tram for once’? You do realize that the subway is the only way to get around in NYC, if you try to stay sane, right? I’m a pro at public transportation.”

 

 

“Whatever, this is Oslo and I’ll just take a taxi.”

 

 

“I’ll drive you.”

 

 

“You know, this isn’t–” Isak took a breath, making himself stand taller and looking straight into Even’s eyes, “–this isn’t how life actually works, okay?”, he narrowed his eyes at Even’s questioning gaze, “you can’t just be like ‘ _I_ _’ll drive you_ ’ or ‘ _we should be friends_ ’, and whatever, completely out of the blue, like–”, Isak stopped for a second, noticing how Even’s eyes drifted to his feet, which were now unruly shuffling. He almost felt bad and had to fight this weird urge to wipe the frown off Even’s face. But then he remembered that he definitely should not feel guilty for standing up for himself. For his own sanity.

 

 

He shook his head and continued, “I mean…no need to be offended, I’m just not really into this whole… you being this obscure dude, who keeps throwing vague comments at me and me being–”, Isak didn’t even know how to finish the sentence – him being confused about it? Fascinated? No, definitely not the latter, he was just still too hung up about the whole _‘I thought you were my soulmate, and you keep making me feel weird shit_ _’_ dilemma.

 

 

“I don’t know, maybe that’s how people do shit in New York or like in golf clubs, you know like maybe this is normal within your… rich people scene–”

 

 

Isak was interrupted by the speed of Even’s head snapping up. The man was giving him an incredulous look, before snorting out a laugh.

 

 

“What’s up with you rich-shaming me, every opportunity you get?”

 

 

It was Isak’s turn to huff out a chuckle, being taken off guard for a second there. “I don’t even know what to say… rich-shaming, really?”, Isak shook his head, before mumbling “I just don’t understand you. You don’t really behave… normal.”

 

 

Isak’s eyes remained on Even, carefully seizing his reaction, but the other’s face just hardened, going completely blank. It didn’t keep Isak from noticing the anxiousness that radiated out of Even.

 

 

He wouldn’t know how to describe it, other than that he literally felt like, the more he kept staring at Even – waiting for him to say something – the more he noticed how Even’s presence made his own muscles go tense and his heart pick up speed.

 

 

By the time that Even finally did break the silence, Isak’s hands had gone clammy and he was shivering even more from the night chill biting through his soaked clothes.

 

 

“I just feel bad about your ankle”, Even stated, eyes dancing over Isak’s face. His face must have conveyed how unimpressed he was with that excuse, because next thing, Even cleared his throat and rolled his eyes, before very quietly saying, “Also, I… I’m just not really felling the party? Sometimes they get overwhelming and I mean–” he shrugged tiredly, “I’m kinda cold, so.” he squinted his eyes, seemingly gauging Isak’s reaction, before adding, “If I just ditch my friends like this, I’ll never hear the end of it, but being a knight in shining armor is probably a good enough excuse, you know. So really…You’d be helping me as much, as I’d be helping you. We are friends after all, right?”, Even finished, wiggling his eyebrows up and down twice.

 

 

Isak huffed, “saying things like _‘we should be friends_ _’,_ out of nowhere because you’re high on a balcony _,_ doesn’t magically make you friends with that person”

 

 

Even looked up at the sky briefly as if he was praying for Isak to just save it for once and Isak was done anyway, so he quickly added, “but, I mean sure, if you’re not enjoying yourself and uhm... your so-called friends can’t just accept that–” Even’s face remained blank, “then sure, you’re welcome to drive me home.”

 

 

“You’ll like it, you can pretend not to care, but my car got heated seats and snacks!” Even’s voice sounded way too excited for his own good, almost chirpy in a purposely exaggerated way and that, paired with the expression on his face made Isak think that he was trying to get a rise out of him.

 

 

To be fair – Isak did feel slightly cold and he had not drunken himself into a state that would make him hate all of his life choices in the morning, but that also meant that he wasn’t by far intoxicated enough to be tricked into feeling warm. He took a step to the side and analyzed the people, who were building a small crowd in front of the house one last time, his eyes slowly wandering over them, without anybody catching his attention, which – was the problem, wasn’t it? Here he was again, surrounded by a good amount of people, which should translate into a good amount of possibilities to feel some sort of connection with at least one of them, right? Isak knew that he still had a couple of months left and he knew that there was no point in pressing it like this, because it wasn’t about finding something, but rather about just letting it happen. It was out of his control.

 

 

Isak just felt slightly on edge, he was cold, his ankle still felt tender and there was something there, he could feel it, but he just… Nobody even looked at him, they were just smoking and chatting and throwing up in bushes and –

 

 

“Isak?”

 

 

The voice made Isak’s head jerk around almost automatically and he hated the way his fingers started to tingle when his eyes landed on Even’s burning gaze. Isak’s annoyance must have showed, because Even raised his eyebrows in question, his teeth starting to nibble on his bottom lip, as if he was trying to keep himself from saying something. Isak felt the tingle spread from his fingers to the rest of his body, causing him to glare at Even. He took a couple of deep breaths to make the sensation go away, which, much to his aggravation, did not happen. Rubbing his own shoulder, he took two steps closer towards Even, coming to an abrupt stop in front of him, because the tingling had become even more intense, but it changed from an unpleasant sting to a rather warm prickle. Isak looked up at the sky, even though he already knew the answer.

 

 

No full moon. Because – of course the universe couldn’t just give him a simple out for once, could it?

 

 

Even’s eyes were darting around unruly, almost making the boy look scared. Right, because – Even didn’t feel this. Or he did, but if that was the case, he clearly didn’t want it.

 

 

“Let’s just… try out those pretentious car seats.”, Isak gritted out through his teeth, before motioning for Even to lead the way to his car.

 

 

\---

 

 

The car was indeed pretentious. From what Isak could tell in the orange street-lamp-light, it was white, shiny and definitely too expensive looking – not only for this neighborhood – but also for the load of drunk college kids running around and being reckless. Isak was not sure that this car would survive a ‘buzzing’ Magnus – despite its evident high quality.

 

 

The car seats were bomb. The dashboard was also bomb, lighting up in red and blue, immediately overwhelming Isak with the seemingly endless symbols and buttons. The smell was – Isak wouldn’t say bomb – but there was something new about it, somewhat artificial with a pinch of lemon and a touch of Even.

 

 

“I turned on the heat on your seat, is it okay like that?”, Isak could feel Even looking at him in question, so he nodded.

 

 

“I’ll spare you from telling me how pretentious the car is, but to be fair… It was kind of a gift from my dad and–”, Isak turned around to look at Even, seeing a tender sort of smile building on his face,

 

“– well I guess my dad would take being pretentious as a compliment, if you know what I mean.”

 

 

“You know what I do find pretentious? You, going around, threatening people to sue them,” Isak said dryly, hoping that his face conveyed how uncalled for that whole situation was.

 

 

“I wasn’t threatening to sue anyone, I was just letting her know that it was your right.” Even avoided looking at him at all.

 

 

“Not much of an Oslo city boy, after all, huh?”

 

 

Even shook his head, clearly not following.

 

 

“That’s such an American thing to do, Even – come on now.”

 

 

Even just rolled his eyes and then – He fucking pouted, making something inside of Isak want to do reckless shit, such as jumping out of a plane, perhaps. He raised an eyebrow instead, deciding to drop the whole _‘Imma sue u_ _’_ debacle.

 

 

“what kind of car is this?”

 

 

“Audi a8, but uhm – ” Even pressed a button and a screen started to unfold between the two of them, “punch in your address”

 

 

As Isak did just that, Even started backing out slowly, carefully checking for drunk kids about five times, before finally driving off the parking lot.

 

 

“Hey, you should press that lower control button by your door to move your seat back… You know to rest your ankle…” Even said – not taking his eyes off of the road.

 

 

Isak ignored him, settled into the seat and closed his eyes for a second, simply enjoying the way his body was warming up.

 

 

They had been driving for a bit, when Isak was done fighting his cravings. “You know what would really impress me?” Isak kept his eyes close and waited for Even to react.

 

 

“Not sure, if I want to know” he heard the other man chuckle quietly.

 

 

“You know how you said, heated seats and snacks?” Isak opened his eyes and glanced at Even, “If you, by any chance have Skittles in this car… you have officially bribed me into being your biggest fan.”

 

 

Even from this angle, Isak could see the way Even’s lip started to curl upward, his fingers starting to tap on the wheel. Before Isak could so much as blink, the man was taking a U-turn, before pulling up into the gas station, they had just passed. He parked the car, opened his door and threw a quick ‘Be right back’ in Isak’s direction, before leaving him behind in the car – puzzled and bewildered.

 

 

Isak was frozen in place, taking off his seatbelt and pulling out his phone, simply out of habit.

 

 

There were three new message notifications.

 

 

**Jonas**

**1:58**

Iss where ru?

 

??

 

Let me knowwhen you know

\---

 

Isak shook his head at his friend’s drunk messages and quickly let him know that he was on his way home, when the sudden sound of the door opening made him jump in his seat.

 

 

Even sat down next to him, shit-eating grin on his face and seemingly hiding something behind his back.

 

 

Isak didn’t even get to roll his eyes, already anticipating what the other man was hiding, when Even dropped two bags of Skittles into his lap.

 

 

“I didn’t know if you liked the sweet or the sour version more, so I got both” Even smiled, an almost hopeful expression on his face, if the way his eyes widened was anything to go by.

 

 

It was oddly… sweet. Isak looked at the red and the green bags of Skittles in his lap, then he looked back up at Even, who was turned towards him with his right hand grabbing the wheel so tightly, Isak could see his knuckles turn white.

 

 

There was a heavy kind of quietness surrounding them, almost like a vortex had appeared out of nowhere and swallowed them, keeping them save in the middle of the ocean, disconnecting them from all sounds of the outer world. Images of holes in the midst of oceans, tunnels and colors seemed to be appearing in Isak’s head. And this – this was not something, Isak could ignore any longer. Or, he probably could ignore it but he really didn’t want to. So, he started to take in Even’s posture, the way his whole body seemed to have gone rigid, how his eyes started nervously flitting around Isak’s face. Not for the first time, either. Deep down, Isak found himself wondering if Even could feel it as well. If he felt this odd pull between. A pull that never seemed to waver, no matter, how often Even had tested his patience. Isak refused to be alone in this.

 

 

“Look, Even–”, Isak took a very deep breath, lungs shaking, vocal chords preparing to do something daring – 

 

 

But then – Listening to some inner voice, or whatever you may call it – Hestopped his attempt to be brave at the sight of Even’s jaw tightening, his eyes going blank. For whatever reason, Even quite obviously, did not want to acknowledge whatever was happening between them. Isak’s best guess was that the man was weary of something, purely going off the way Even kept reacting to him. However, Isak did not know anything about him and there was also the possibility that Even simply wasn’t interested in Isak. He could not help the wave of loneliness overcoming him at the thought, and that in turn – made Isak feel extremely lost. But if Even didn’t feel even a fraction of what Isak felt, then why would he try so hard to win Isak over as a friend? – Especially, considering that they didn’t really know anything about the other.

 

 

Isak brushed his thoughts aside, realizing that the silence between them had lasted for much longer than could be referred to as comfortable. He decided that he would approach the situation with caution and come up with a strategy to get Even to open up.

 

 

Being the very best at getting what he wanted, Isak immediately came up with a plan.

 

 

“So…how much do I owe you?” he smiled, knowing all too well what the answer would be.

 

 

Even seemed to relax at the words, as he cleared his throat and smiled at Isak in a way that could only be described as thankful.

 

 

“I honestly mean it, when I say, ‘it’s on me’, but before you start calling me out about trying to buy your friendship again–”, Even went for his wallet, probably to pull out the receipt.

 

 

And – No, this was not how Isak had planned it out in his head. He could not let Even tell him how much he owed him, because then Isak would just have to go with it. So, he took matters into his own hands and went with his chance right there.

 

 

“How about, I’ll just buy you coffee some time? Then we’re even” Isak interrupted, pointedly starring at Even.

 

 

Even looked startled, to say the least and he started to back up slightly, until his back hit the car door.

 

 

Isak may have come off a little bit too strong, so he scolded his features into what he hoped was a friendly and innocent smile.

 

 

Even cleared his throat, positioning himself back into the middle of his seat, before putting on his seatbelt. His hand on the wheel seemed to relax and Isak could hear the other man swallow.

 

 

“I mean, who would say no to coffee?” Even said, his voice sounding mildly strained, as he started the engine and got the car back on the road.

 

 

“It’s a date, then.” Isak announced, voice confident, as he kept his eyes on the road in front of them, worried about what reaction he would see on Even’s face if he looked at him right then. And Isak really didn’t mean for it to come out that way. It was just a term of speech, that felt natural in the moment.

 

 

Isak wished he had paid attention to Even’s reaction, when the man just turned on the radio, playing some radio station, otherwise remaining completely quiet. Isak ripped open the bag of sour Skittles and started pouring them into his mouth every now and then to keep himself busy and distracted from the awkwardness.

 

 

When they stopped at a traffic light, Even turned towards him, which Isak acknowledged with a look, while pouring some more Skittles into his mouth. If he knew the guy a little bit better, Isak would go as far as saying that the smile forming on Even’s face came off as awfully fond, which in turn made Isak’s cheeks heat up. Okay, so maybe he could put his mission back on track.

 

 

“You know that those are literally just sugar and food coloring, right?”

 

 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Isak snickered, making a show of opening the red bag of Skittles as well and mixing them in with the sour ones.

 

 

Even laughed and the tension changed from awkward and tense to something, Isak still couldn’t put his finger on, but he finally felt like he could breathe again.

 

 

\---

 

 

When they pulled up into Isak’s street, and stopped in front of his apartment complex, Even joined him in taking off his seatbelt. “I’ll help you get upstairs.”

 

 

“It’s okay, I’m on the bottom, so…” Isak let the sentence fade, shrugging his shoulders in a tiny motion. He did need to face this situation with Even, but for now, he would be better off just letting everything sink in. He needed to make sense of this, before he got in over his head.

 

 

“Okay.”

 

 

There was a private smile on Even’s face. And Isak looked at him. Really looked at him. All the confusing feelings aside, Even was – to put it bluntly – stunning. His features were delicate, yet they somehow, seemed to be carved out of stone, if his cheekbones were anything to go by. The warm street lights surrounding the apartment complex gave his skin an unusual, almost orange glow and Isak was aware that he was blatantly staring at Even – he really was – but, judging by the smile on the other man’s face, the gesture did not seem to be unwelcome. Not for the first time– Isak found himself thinking of the smile as oddly sweet. Oddly, because thinking back to their first encounter, or even the ones after that, ‘Sweet’ had not been the first thing on his mind. Isak always knew that the guy was attractive, beautiful even. His eyes were probably made by Poseidon himself, colors of the bluest oceans in the world – all mixed together. Isak also knew that there had always been confusion and tension between them, but right now – right now, he wanted to revel in the soft expression on Even’s face. It made him feel the urge to know more about this person.

 

 

“So, about the coffee… when are you free?” Isak breathed out, when he finally got himself together.

 

 

“You have my number, just text me and we’ll figure it out.”, Even winked, or – he attempted to wink, but both of his eyes just ended up twitching and all of the sudden he was leaning over Isak’s lap, making his chest feel heavy, although there was no sense of pressure on it. In fact, Even did not touch him whatsoever. And he didn’t need to, because the scent of fabric softener, mixed with water and something so unique, Isak would have to give himself a reality check later, touched him enough as it was.

 

 

The moment vanished, as his door opened to let the night breeze rush into the car and clear Isak’s head, while Even disappeared from his space, simultaneously.

 

 

“Don’t forget your candy.” Even smirked, extending a hand towards Isak.

 

 

Isak had no idea how the Skittles had gotten from his own lap to Even’s hands, but he wordlessly took them from the man, taking in his glinting eyes one last time, before getting back on his A-game. “Thanks for the pretentious car ride”, he winked, getting out of the car, slowly **.**

 

The cold air immediately made Isak shiver through his – still damp clothes – and he ducked down to face the blue eyes inside of the car one last time.

 

 

“Get home safely,” he addressed Even quietly and when he got a soft nod and an honest smile in return, Isak closed the car door carefully, and walked away.

 

 

And yes, maybe it was more of a limp than a walk – ankle be damned – But nobody had to know that, except for Even, who’s car still hadn’t moved when Isak was vanishing behind the front door of his apartment building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought of the chapter, if you're up for it :)
> 
> If I survive the first week back at uni, you'll get chapter 5 next Saturday!  
> As always, wishing everybody a great rest of the weekend <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Leave some feedback, if you feel like it. Critique is more than welcome, since this is my first time writing. Just don't be mean, please :).


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